Laissez Les Bon Roadfood Temps Rouler: Part 11

Sunday morning; day two of the Louisiana Roadfood Festival.  Having “done” the street festival yesterday we had a little time for brunch before the 1:30 pm round-table, where food authors would discuss “How to Find Roadfood.”  This we did not want to miss.

We’d heard very promising reports about EAT, a restaurant supposedly in “the gay section” of the Quarter, on the east side.  An easy walk from the Monteleone.  And it was just what we were looking for at that particular time: bright and sunny, casual, relaxed, a comfortable neighborhood place serving brunch with a local accent.

For 1980s TV hounds, a General Foods International Coffees moment:

From the flowers on our table, just because:

But then the food started coming.  We want to be careful not to overstate it, because it really was not awful, for the most part.  Some of it was quite good, like the debris they were calling grillades, a rich beef stew that was served over large but drab cathead biscuits as part of a dish called Eggs Dumaine.

There was hollandaise too, and two eggs that, with a few minutes less time on the heat, might have made decent hard-boiled eggs.  Unfortunately, they were supposed to be poached.  When we pointed this out to our very nice waitress she said she’d get us a couple of new poached eggs, which never came.  Sue went with the Fried Green Tomato Breakfast: bacon, eggs, grits, biscuits, with the tomatoes, which were thickly sliced and still too hard.

The bacon was OK but ordinary and the grits, like all the grits we sampled in this town, were thin and under-seasoned.  We have to admit that we’ve become grit snobs.  They are a regular part of our diet at home, and we have settled on a favorite grit: those from Nora Mill Granary in Georgia, which we periodically get mailed to us.  Fresh, whole-grain grits are an entirely different food from standard supermarket grits.  Chefs that serve fancified versions of Southern food usually use them, where they are often enriched with loads of butter or cream or cheese.  We can abide supermarket grits, however -- actually quite enjoy them – but they’ve got to be properly salted, in our opinion.

One other food note: the homemade lemonade (but not the watery coffee) was superb!  Anyway, our waitress was apologetic about the eggs and offered us dessert on the house.  We thanked her for the gesture but we just weren’t in the mood.  So when the bill came she told us she comp’d our beverages.  We’d give ‘em another chance.

We wanted to be back at the courthouse in time for the roundtable so, with a little time to kill, Sue did some shopping and Bruce ducked into the Absinthe Museum.  As he entered, a young woman who looked like she stepped out of a Renoir painting greeted him with a “Bon Jour!”  This front room was simply the gift shop, with all sorts of fascinating objets d’absinthe, and some wonderful classic absinthe poster ads.  She said they only opened last summer, and they hoped to do some organized absinthe tastings later this year.  We definitely have to return sometime to visit the museum.

At the courthouse steps, people were already gathered for the roundtable, at a long table, that included Jane and Michael Stern, Holly Moore, Ed Levine, and authors Sara Roahen (Gumbo Tales) and Pam Lyles (da cajn critter).  Michael served as moderator.  The theme was How to Find Roadfood. 

From left: Sue, Anne, Amy, Michael, Chris, and, lending a touch of Norman Rockwell’s Freedom From Want, looking straight at the camera, Bob (nocarolina).

We especially appreciated one point – was it made by Sara Roahen? – that you have to be willing to eat a lot of not-so-good food.  This is so true, but implicit in that idea is that you have to eat in lots and lots of places.  That makes sense for professional writers, and even determined amateurs like ourselves, but the difficulty is when people go on one or two trips a year, and don’t eat six lunches and spend all day driving the back roads looking for something interesting.  People like that just don’t feel they can afford to be burned that often, in money or time.  They want every meal to be memorable (if they care about food at all – many people don’t).  And for them, there’s no shame in following in the footsteps of those they trust.

Pam, Ed, and Michael

Jane, Sara, and Holly

Concierges were getting hit pretty hard – nobody felt they were the right people to consult when travelling – and it just so happened that a concierge for the local Ritz-Carlton was in the audience.  She was invited to speak, to present that side of the equation, and it was fascinating.  Other interesting moments: a few panelists confessed to enjoying Chick-fil-A sandwiches; Ed Levine declared, as if it was an accepted fact, that the best pizza made in America can be found at Chris Bianco’s Phoenix place; and Jane and Michael were praised by many of the others as inspirations and pioneers.  Very worthwhile and lots of fun!

Notes for future years: a better sound system is necessary, and there needs to be some way to separate the panel further from the vending trucks.  The rumble of the Purple Truck across the street made it difficult to hear the speakers, especially for those sitting to the side on the courthouse steps.

We shared some cracklins and Lasyone’s pies with Elise and Bob and then were on our way.  Dinner Sunday night was at Gumbo Shop, a short walk from the hotel.  The building the restaurant resides in goes back to the 18th century, the restaurant not quite that far.  We wouldn’t recommend everyone carve out time in their travel plans to visit the Gumbo Shop, but if you’re dining casually in the French Quarter we think it’s one of the better choices; mostly, but not all, tourists.  Be sure to ask for a courtyard table.

Gumbo is, in fact, the best thing to order.  Both the seafood and chicken versions are good.

 
Bread pudding with a VERY sweet sauce.

Coming up… Don’t Forget to Baste That Pie With Melted Butter! and Are You Hungry Tonight?

Oysterponds

Have you ever sat at the counter at the Grand Central Oyster Bar (Roadfood.com review; photo above) in New York City, and downed dozens of freshly opened oysters?  You study the oyster menu overhead and make your choices from among the couple dozen offered, maybe choosing a platter of Oysterponds, Wellfleets, and Buzzard Bays for your first dozen.  Have you ever given thought to where these oysters actually come from, how they are harvested, and how they make their way, in pristine condition, to the basement of a midtown NYC train station?

Here’s one answer, as Newsday tells the story of Oysterponds, an oyster company on the North Fork of Long Island that was started a few years ago by a group of retired men who wanted to keep themselves busy.  Today you’ll find Oysterponds on the oyster menu at Grand Central’s Oyster Bar.  Be sure to watch the fascinating video accompaniment!

Are Crabs Replacing Lobsters in the Long Island Sound?

The Long Island Sound is at the very southern end of lobsters’ range.  It’s also at the very northern end of blue crabs’ range.  Historically, both are found in the Sound, but only lobsters appear in numbers great enough for commercial fishing.  Over the past three decades, water temperatures in the Sound have risen almost two degrees, and the annual lobster catch has dropped from about 12 million to two or three million pounds a year.  At the same time, lobstermen are seeing much greater numbers of blue crabs.  This situation is putting a great financial strain on Connecticut’s lobstermen.  Read the full story in the Boston Globe article by Gregory B. Hladky.

One interesting piece of info in the story: Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough, of Noank, Connecticut does not use local lobsters.  They obtain Canadian lobsters through a wholesaler.  Said Jerry Mears of Abbott’s: “We used to have fishermen working right off our dock.  But we slowly phased that out."  The photo above is of one of Abbott’s many dining areas, from the Roadfood.com review.

Ipswich, Essex Clam Beds Reopened After Long Red Tide Closure

Ipswich clams are here again!  A seven-week closure of the local clam beds, due to red tide, had forced local Essex and Ipswich clam shacks to bring clams in from Maine and elsewhere.  Last week, the algae infestation called red tide abated enough to finally reopen the local clam flats to commercial diggers, according to an article by Andrew Ryan in the Boston Globe.  Doug Woodman of Woodman’s of Essex says he prefers the local clams: “The quality of the clam is better.  We were getting them from northern Maine, but it's not the same, especially with fried clams. Tourists can't really tell the difference, but some of us can."

Some area clam beds remain closed, such as those in Newbury and Rowley.  Ever wonder how local clam diggers make a living when the means to their livelihood are off limits?  Read about it in this Boston Globe story by David Cogger.

The photo above shows the Woodman’s pickup counter, from the Roadfood.com review.

“Red” Gagnon, of Wiscasset Legend Red’s Eats, Has Passed Away

We are sad to report that Allen “Red” Gagnon, who purchased Red’s Eats in 1977 and turned it into what many feel is the preeminent source for Maine lobster rolls, passed away at the age of 71 last Friday.  He had been hospitalized since February.  We learned of the news through this article in The Times Record.

Mr. Gagnon worked at Bath Iron Works, ran a trailer park, and opened a pizzeria before purchasing Red’s (see Michael Stern’s Roadfood.com review).  When asked for the secret of his success, he’d say “put out really good, fresh food, and plenty of it."  Red’s Eats will continue to be operated by his daughter, Debbie Cronk.

6/19-21: Delmarva Chicken Festival

Sponsored annually by the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., this year’s Delmarva Chicken Festival will be held in Salisbury, MD (the site changes each year).  The festival officially opens Friday, but you can get a jump on it Thursday night with discount carnival rides and games.  The highlight of the festival is the chicken cooked (by the Salisbury Lions Club) in the famous giant fry pan (pictured above circa 1950, from the Delaware Public Archives).  The Salisbury Jaycees will also be doing a chicken barbecue.

There’ll be plenty of music of all types (including our personal festival favorites, the Sweet Adelines), exhibits and displays about chickens, and an assortment of car, crafts, and arts shows.  Admission is free!  For more info, see the festival website.

Beard Awards 2008

The James Beard Foundation Awards for 2008 have been announced.  These are the Oscars of the food world and, in past years, Jane and Michael Stern have been nominated, and have won, multiple times; they are both listed in the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.  This year's winners include three with Roadfood connections:

The Splendid Table, hosted by Lynne Rossetto Kasper, won for Radio Food Show.  As many Roadfood.com readers know, Jane and Michael Stern have a weekly segment on Lynne's excellent show.

Robert Stehling won for Best Chef: Southeast.  Mr. Stehling is the chef for Hominy Grill in Charleston, SC.  Here is Michael Stern's Roadfood.com review. More...

Bridgewater Chocolate Video

Bridgewater Chocolate of Connecticut makes astoundingly good chocolate confections.  We've never been to the store, but we've mail-ordered from them numerous times; a Thanksgiving favorite of ours are the pilgrim hats, which are hat-shaped candies of soft and creamy caramel in dark chocolate.  In the Michael Stern photograph above, from his Roadfood.com review, is a coconut igloo, of which Michael says, "Intense dark chocolate and creamy-rich coconut are, in my book, an unbeatable combination. Here they are in a coconut igloo, married perfectly."

TasteTV has a 1:17 video of the proprietor of Cocoa Bella Chocolates taking viewers on a survey of the Bridgewater Chocolate items in his store.  As you can see, Bridgewater specializes in taking prosaic and familiar candies and, through skill and imagination, and top-quality ingredients, turning them into uncommon treats.

The Man Behind Moishe's

Moishe's is the steakhouse of Montreal.  About the bone-in filet mignon pictured above, Michael Stern says in his Roadfood.com review, "It is a huge, ridiculously juicy hunk of delicious meat."  Meet the man behind Moishe's, as Lenny Lighter speaks with The Gazette of Montreal.  He talks about his early days at his father's restaurant, and his philosophy of running a restaurant.  Says Mr. Lighter: "When people sit down, it's less than a minute and the bread, butter, coleslaw and pickles are on the table. That's part of who we are. That's part of our brand in the restaurant. The products always have to be right. And they have to be delivered right away."

Read more in The Gazette.

Trip to Philippe For Beef Month

May is Beef Month, and in honor of this occasion the Farm Industry News undertakes an expedition to Philippe the Original for French dips.  Needless to say, they loved it!  Read all about it here.