PopsicleToze

STEAK AND GRAVY If one dish exemplifies home, it most certainly would be steak and gravy. We had steak and gravy probably every single week. It is a dish of round steak braised in onion gravy. Mama invariably served the steak and gravy over rice or mashed potatoes with biscuits. The side dish varied, but it would usually be smothered green beans with potatoes and bacon, corn, peas or butterbeans. This dish, however, found its way all over Louisiana. It's probably the most cooked recipe that no one ever hears about. I've looked it up in several of my South Louisiana cookbook references for you. In Emeril and Marcelle Bienvenu's "Louisiana Real and Rustic" cookbook, the recipe is called Round Steak and Onions. Now, this is one of my favorite cookbooks, and I love to cook from it. It's interesting to note her comments on the dish: Akin to Grillades, this preparation makes an inexpensive cut of meat tender, juicy, and decidedly delicious. Thin pieces of round steak are browned, then cooked with onions and bell peppers. Ask anyone in south Louisiana about this dish, and they'll tell you they were raised on it. A big strapping fellow I know says he ate so much as a child, he's sure his right leg is made of it. Serve it with rice and Corn Maque Choux. In The Prudhomme Family Cookbook, the recipe is called Country Steak and Gravy. Here beef stock is used for the gravy. In the testing we were reminded of the dramatic difference in taste and texture when food is cooked covered rather than uncovered. It's the covered cooking that makes this steak and gravy so good. Served with hot basic cooked rice, mashed potatoes or biscuits. And according to Chef John Folse's The Encyclopedia of Cajun and Creole cuisine, On Sunday in Louisiana you will find succulent round steak smothered in gravy on many dinner tables. Traditionally, this dish is served with steamed white rice and a side of roux peas. Finally, going all of the way back to 1901, the dish appeared in New Orleans' “The Picayune Creole Cook Book” in a recipe called Beefsteak Smothered in Onions. Mom used Campbell's cream of mushroom soup as the backbone for her gravy. She doesn't use it any longer. Now, she uses Campbell's golden cream of mushroom soup. So, that's what's been cooking this morning, and I'll upload the photos for you next.

We are kind-of long distance neighbors... Glad you're enjoying the blog. Yours was great!

This picture is in the field beside my house. It's a crawfish hole! Crawfish live underground in deep, burrowed holes sometimes called chimneys. They don't come out when it's cold, and that's why the cold weather we experienced delayed their arrival this year. You can also find them in ditches around here. Growing up we would "fish" for them in the ditches on our land. Just find a big enough stick and tie some string on it. Then, tie some bacon on the end of the string. When the crawfish grabs the bacon, you can pull him out of the water because he's not going to let go of the bacon! No, we never caught too many, but it was a good way to get us out of the house for a few hours.

Roberta, so glad you're singing along! I mentioned earlier that I've never cooked crawfish pie before, so that's why I was so glad when I found some at Tony's. That aside, when I make crawfish bisque I start with the leftover crawfish from a crawfish boil, so I don't see why you couldn't use cooked crawfish tails for a pie. Speaking of crawfish, they just happen to be in season right now. The late cold weather we had gave them a little shock, so they're very expensive right now at $3/lb for live crawfish. That doesn't sound like much, but when you're giving a crawfish boil, you can plan on 5 lbs per person! Anyway, the price will go down in April, and on any given Friday in spring, someone is having a crawfish boil. I don't have time to have one for you, because I still have to cook dinner from last night! However, I just happen to have some photos I thought you might enjoy. All photographs in this particular post were provided courtesy of the La Dept of Tourism and used with their permission.

Thank you, Miss Kim! I was wondering where you were. My little grating plate is sitting on the top shelf of a cabinet. That's why I don't buy a lot of gadgets, but it was for a good cause.

I am so glad you posted, but you have got to get this out of the freezer! And let us know how it tastes! I can't wait!

Kay, absolutely! You are the one reason we're having this. You can have as many as you want, and I so wish that I could e-mail them to you! Maybe in a future life...

I'm already tired, but it's a good tired. And, yet, we still didn't get to dinner tonight. (Who knew?) That can wait until tomorrow, and I still have one more huge thing that I want to post which I can't post yet because it doesn't happen until Saturday. However, after Saturday, a girl can sleep...

Their frog legs are from China and that's RIGHT HERE when they should have been from Rayne, Louisiana (the frog capital of the world)! But they looked good, and there was a time way back when when a "seafood platter" was the order of the day (everything was fried), and it would always include a pair of fried frog's legs. I didn't order the seafood platter, because I was only a little girl, and that was a LOT of food. Daddy ordered it, and I would sample from his plate. However, we always ordered whatever we wanted. We *never* had to order from the children's menu. What to order from a large menu could be intimidating -- especially when I had just learned to read -- but Mom gave me this advice, and it's still good, "When you are in a seafood restaurant, order seafood. When you are at a steak house, order steak. If you don't know what to order, ask the waiter what he would order." I love my parents! And the shrimp? $5.99/lb is not cheap around here. When I want shrimp, I drive to the Shrimp Lot of New Orleans' westbank. They're fresh off the boat. Bring an ice chest, or you can buy a styrofoam one there. If you order at least 10 lbs, you get large, fresh, head-on shrimp for $2.50/lb. When I go, I usually get 20 lbs because that is the EXACT amount of pounds when I decide, "I am not peeling anymore shrimp." The Shrimp Lot has been shown on eG before, and we won't make it there in this week's blog, but I happen to have a picture on my memory card from a previous trip. Here you go... Large, head-on shrimp. I think I bought these for barbecued shrimp. You have to have the heads for barbecued shrimp, and even for dishes that don't require the heads, I need those heads for stock. And here is a photo (courtesy of Louisiana Dept of Tourism) of a frog jumping contest at the Rayne Frog Festival in Cajun Country.

I never did get to Scallan's Meats (scratch that off the list), because I had a phone call and had to meet someone for lunch. However, I still have a picture on my memory card from a previous visit. I was there when they first opened that morning, and a man was bringing a whole pig from the back. I asked him if I could take a picture. He looked at me like I was crazy, but he said, "Sure. Why not?" Warning... pretty graphic...

No, I've eaten them. The fried catfish is delicious, and the baked catfish is just okay (but that's just me). The little whole onions were a treat, but I love onions in any shape or form. Glad to know it just wasn't me on the Parm Reg!

Speaking of Hank, Sr., Walker, Louisiana is home to the Old South Jamboree. When country music was coming alive, and when the Louisiana Hayride was a necessary stop for up and coming stars (click here for history), Walker was on the map. Many of them would stop by the Old South Jamboree, and that was the case for years and years. Now, Hank Sr. passed away in 1953, so I never heard him sing in person, and when I was a child, I didn't appreciate his music anyway. However, I did like Loretta Lynn, and I knew just about every song she sang. She came to sing at the Old South Jamboree when I was about 6 yrs old (early 1970s). So, Mom and Dad piled us up and brought us to see her. I must have been singing in my chair, because she called me up on stage, and I went... I could cringe in my seat now, but it must have been *hilarious* to see a 6yr old child sing, "You ain't woman enough to take my man!" Rhonda P.S. I can't sing a note, but I guess I didn't know it at the time.

Kay, look at what just came out of the oven -- literally. They are still too hot to eat. Come on, now... everyone sing along... Goodbye, Joe, me gotta go, me oh my oh. Me gotta go, pole the pirogue down the bayou. My Yvonne, the sweetest one, me oh my oh. Son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou. Jambalaya and a crawfish pie and fillet gumbo 'cause tonight I'm gonna see my ma cher amio. Pick guitar, fill fruit jar and be gayo, son of a gun, we'll have big fun on the bayou. Forgive me; I couldn't help myself! And I'm sure looking forward to tasting one of these little pies!!!

That makes sense. Petite = little, so T-Mike = Little Mike Just a note - if you know anything more about that tradition, please feel free to chime in and tell us about it. What I know is what I told you, so I know there is soooooo much more to learn. I'm so glad you like the blog!

Now, I have to find this thing for Mom. She wants Lipton in a box type soup (thing) that's called, "Lipton Recipe Secrets - Savory, Herb & Garlic," whatever! Now, just hold your breath. I could tell her that I could make this all day long, and it wouldn't make a difference (know your audience!). She has her church ladies luncheon tomorrorw (the last Friday of every month), and she does NOT want me to cook it for her. What she wants is to find the ingredients that were listed on whatever recipe she clipped for that luncheon. The *only* thing I can do is try to find what she needs, because believe me when I tell you that I learned a looooooong time ago that it simplifies my life just to know when to say, "Yes, ma'am." So, I *know* I'm not going to find it anywhere that is popular, because she has already tried about 6 grocery stores, but since I am in North Baton Rouge anyway (at Tony's Seafood), there happens to be a Piggly Wiggly. (Yep! Just like in "Driving Miss Daisy.") So, I stop, and, YES, they had them! Great! I'll take 4 boxes (because she might want more one day, and I do not want to do this again).

AND JUST FOR KAY Look what Tony's just happened to have... Now, I'm not saying that we're going to have this, but if you happen to see *anything* remotely similar to this, please know that it's just for you!

TONY'S SEAFOOD The pictures will speak for themselves. One thing of interest, however, is the live catfish pond. The catfish are Mississippi farm-raised, and they are trucked in. The truck pulls up to the front of the store, opens the valve and literally pumps them in. It's fun to hear the sound it makes when a really huge catfish hits the water! AND, THERE'S MORE... THEY SHIP! Bon Appetit!

And that's why we would be great friends!

This morning I had to go shopping. There were 4 priorities: 1) I need meat for today's meal (trying Whole Foods first) 2) Mom asked me to find something for her 3) Tony's Seafood (because you will love it!) 4) Scallen's Meats (because I need to take a picture of those turkey necks) First, we stop by Whole Foods. I'm looking for a particular type of meat. They don't have it. Guess it's not high-brow enough for them. But, since we're there anyway, we can always pick up a few things. First, I run into strawberries. Notice the farm name on the package? Yes, that is the farm we visited earlier this week. Well, we don't need them today. Next, I just had to take a picture of the parmigiano reggiano. Growing up, I NEVER had this -- didn't even know it existed. The only parmesan cheese I had was in a little packet tucked in Kraft's spaghetti-making kit. Truly! That's what Mom used (and still uses) to make spaghetti. When I firsted tasted *real* parmesan cheese, I was ectastic! "So, this is what this cheese is supposed to taste like!" We don't need it today, but that's the only parmesan cheese I use, and just the sight of it makes my taste buds tingle. Then, there's the bread. It's all good, but what I typically buy (today included) is the seeduction bread. It's fantastic! Just cut a thick slice and spread a little butter on it, and it's all you need for breakfast. The cheese case is right next door. I don't know a lot about cheeses, so I just usually pick up a few from the small case to sample. When it's great, that's a good thing. When it's not, I only bought a small sample, so it doesn't matter. Oh, and I left without breakfast, so I had to go ahead and have a taste of the bread. They have a great olive bar! And here's what I got (will graze for lunch on bread, cheese and olives)...

I skipped lunch yesterday because I knew I was going to dinner. I thought we were going to Fleur de Lis Pizza (and I really wanted to show you that place), but I didn't choose where we had dinner, and this is where we ate. Now, before I show you the pictures of dinner, let me clear up the flash issue. I tried and tried to take pictures with the flash turned off, but it was just too dark. We were sitting in the bar area, and there were not a lot of people. The people who were there were laughing, drinking and talking to each other and could not have cared less about the couple sitting in the corner. I watched for faces, and not one time did anyone even look over when I took a picture. I asked the waitress before I did it, and if I would have had one inkling that I was disrupting someone, I wouldn't have taken pictures. But, I wasn't -- so I did! First came the bread. It was a little odd looking and tasted somewhat like a cross between French bread and a biscuit! A little odd, but nothing disagreeable. For the appetizer, I went old school and had the shrimp cocktail. It was good, but I usually get some type of oyster appetizer. Mansur's does have charbroiled oysters (a la Drago's Restaurant in New Orleans, which is a dear favorite of mine), but the last time I was at Mansur's I must have ordered them. They must not have been good because I must have sent them back. I don't remember, but before dinner I was told, "Now, you know you don't like their charbroiled oysters, so don't order them!" The man had a salad! For the entree, I had the veal in a reduced demi-glace/red wine sauce topped with jumbo white lump crabmeat in a bernaise sauce. The veal was excellent, and it could have stood on its own without the crab. I just pushed it to the side and concentrated on the veal. (I hope the PETA people don't get me. I just can't help myself. When veal is on the menu, that's what I usually get.) I debated about not getting it, but that's what I would have ordered if no one was looking, so that's what I ordered. He had Chilean sea bass over whatever the day's risotto was (I didn't taste it). I'm not that much of a fish person -- once in awhile, maybe -- but not too often. He said it was great. After dinner -- you guessed it. We passed on dessert and had Community coffee to end the meal.

Whew! I'm finally home. After this little teaser about what's for dinner tonight (yes, tonight...) I'll tell you what's been on the menu since yesterday around this time.

Thanks, Celeste! The only time I've used smoked turkey wings was in greens (a la Patti LaBelle's recipe). Great information to have!

I've only used it once. Thought it would be nice to grate fresh parm cheese at the table when serving Italian Sunday Gravy. I used it when we were making the red beans (but I didn't include the garlic pictures). I think the grating plate would be good to make a little dipping sauce for bread, too. However, when grating the garlic, you can't grate it all (because it hurts your fingers), so I just chopped. By the time everything was said and done, I could have smashed the garlic with a knife and minced it in about the same time.

Toliver, other than alligator sausage, deep fried alligator is all I've ever tasted, too. They just deep fry the tail. Used to, pre-K, there was an "Alligator on a Stick" booth in the French Market. When it was cold and I was playing tourist, I would always buy one to eat while I walked around. Glad you're enjoying the blog!

Thanks! Moonstruck Eggs I like that. From now on, that's what I'm going to call them. Glad you're liking the blog. Fixing to have to run out for awhile. Will be back later.