Lake Pontchartrain Fishing

Life is not always black and white, but regardless of what color it is, it should head towards the direction of progress.  Progression was made this weekend. New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival is a man-made event providing the international public servings of great music and food.  The event lasts for two weekends, same time every year, last weekend of April, then first weekend of May.  Tickets this year were sixty dollars at the door, it seemed to be like everything else nowadays, a cultural event sponsored by big companies to help favor their products.  The stage was set with acts of all genre and likability, accompanied by expensive beer ($5 Miller Lite Can = $120 per Case).

So I went fishing.

It was a good time on the water, listening to Jazzfest via the radio, catching fish, and catching up with old friends.  At the end of the day, our haul was three nice catfish and one  Black Drum.  My fishing muscles had not been flexed in a few months, and was outfished, but not out cooked.  The drum met the grill later in the evening with some bay leaves and garlic.  It was paired with the Pinot Griggio of beers, Coors Light to make a nice combination of healthful fare.  Catching your own food is an etheral feeling, not depending on a grocery store for food, but rather Mother Earth.  We as a people were once hunter-gathers, now we are grocery-shoppers.  Next time you get the chance, turn off the TV, put down the laptop, and go get a hook wet.

New Orleans Urban Duck Farming.

An invitation was extended by some friends to attend a backyard BBQ over the past weekend.  It was an opportunity to celebrate a birthday, meet new friends, and conversate with like-minded individuals about food and music.  The landscape was not of a typical backyard in Uptown New Orleans.  Ducks of all ages, and a few different breeds were spread throughout the yard.  The ducks are mainly for producing eggs, and if you have never had a duck egg...amazing. The ducks were accompanied by a few dogs, and some vegetables, all co-mingling in a unique backyard ecosystem.

On the menu for the evening was a cornucopia of thoughtful fare.  Everything was made at home, imagine...homemade.  Tuscan chicken sausage with feta, grilled peppers, and arugula was a symphony on the palate, one could almost feel the Italian sun shine when the bite was completed.  Different spiced pancettas were ready to be tasted, after the belly had made friends with its spiced companions.  My favorite was the absinthe-herb flavored pancetta.  Anise and pork have been mates for a while, and when they get together, my affinity only grows deeper.  To be honest, I should have taken notes and more pictures.  Even the soap was homemade, from animal fat, lye, and rosemary.  Yes, soap comes from fat, remember Fight Club?

"You're a Quack Head"

Fun Fact:  Foie Gras was invented by the Jewish people in order to fulfill the Egyptian Pharoah's need for fattened liver anytime.  Before the ducks where to migrate, they would stuff themselves on the rich bounty of the land in preparation for the long journey.  But the pharoah wanted it all year long, hence force feeding (Gauvage) to have foie gras all year long.

May Chef Profile...Paul Prudhomme

  

    Blackening is a technique often associated with cajun cookery, it was invented by Paul Prudhomme.  Very rarely are we able to witness in the food business something which changes the landscape of cooking for the future.  Paul Prudhomme is in that number.  He grew up in the small town of Opelousas, Louisiana.  Opelousas is just north of Interstate-10, between Baton Rouge and Lake Charles, essentially the heart of Cajun country.  Chef Prudhomme opened up his flagship restaurant, K-Paul's in the late 1970's.  The restaurant got its name from his late wife, Kaye Prudhomme...K-Paul.  During the 1980's the blackening craze swept the gulf south and the nation, almost leading to the extinction of the Redfish.  Aside from being an amazing chef in the kitchen, he has proved to be quite the business man.  His seasoning blends are widely available throughout the country, and also has stake in the Stubb's BBQ empire.  He continues to cook, speak, and teach to this day.  Take notice when people shape our country and culture for the better, Chef Prudhomme has accomplished this with a smile.  Eat well.

www.kpauls.com
www.chefpaul.com

Crab Boil Recipe for Success.

Here are a few tips on how I would do a crab boil.  There is no correct way to make it, as everyone has “the best” recipe.  But the main goal is to enjoy a few cold beverages with friends over a communal pot of crabs.  And remember, it’s just a Cajun court bouillon.

Vegetables

New Potatoes, Cob Corn, Sausage, Garlic, Lemons, Mushrooms

Seasonings

Zatarans or Rex Crawfish Boil (Follow directions on the box for measurments)

Crabs

Down here we figure three to five per guest.

Bring water to boil, add seasonings, lemons, and garlic.  Let go for twenty minutes until well incorporated.  Add potatoes, the mushrooms, then sausage, then corn and cook.  By the time the corn is done, the potatoes should be finished.  Remove all the vegetables, bring back to boil.  Add crabs, bring to rolling boil, and shut off.  Ice down the container, or if outside use a hose, not completely cold, but slow down the heat.  Start tasting crabs for desired taste around 45 minutes, or before, whenever you think they’re ready.  Dump them on newspaper, serve vegetables with some butter, and wash it all down with conversation and a few cold Hi-Lifes.

Hope this helps!

Cheers.

/ˈmākiNG/ Bacon

    Making bacon is a process utilizing two age-old preservation techniques, curing and smoking.  Both of these techniques were used before the invention of the refrigerator.  Curing draws the moisture from the protein, moisture is to bacteria like booze is to New Orleans, they thrive together but it always isn't a good thing.  Smoking was a technique used to dry out the protein, and also keep bugs away.  And using both of these techniques, with a little patience mind you, at home will spoil (pardon the pun) the palate with joy.

    While in Pittsburgh, it was an opportunity to buy some never before frozen pork.  Omar Ifft is a third generation farmer in Evans City, PA, Iff T's Poultry farm.  Yes, pigs are not considered poultry, but since my father has an established poultry relationship with Omar, we were informed of the fresh pig he had slaughtered from his friend's farm.  Arriving on the farm, we met Omar and his two friends in the processing room.  The scene reminded me of pictures in the book Pork & Sons, where slaughtering an animal brought people together to talk, drink, and enjoy some of Mother Nature's bounty.  We bought several items, but for this story let's focus on the belly.

    Omar called the Belly, Bacon.  It is common for different cuts of meat to be called different names in different regions of the country.  An eight pound belly costs us around twelve dollars, compared to one pound retailing for anywhere between three to ten dollars at the local grocery store, please beware of cheap bacon, there is a reason it is cheap. 

The basic cure for bacon is a mixture of sugar and salt; 1 # Kosher Salt, 1/2# Sugar, 10 teaspoons Pink Salt (TCM).  Pink Salt or TCM (Tinted Cure Mix) is composed of 94% sodium chloride and 6%

sodium nitrate.  Basically it allows the meat to retain a pink hue, as opposed to grey, and eliminates any potential leftover bacteria.  Cure the meat for three to five days, then smoke for three hours.  Bacon has been made. It seems like a long time, but the actual physical labor involved is a mere hour or so.  The mental labor of patience is the only real skill need to make bacon.

If you are reading this, you have access to the intraweb, so look up more details (or email me elliott@yobreaux.com) and make some bacon. 

Happy Jazzfest!