A Leashed New Orleans

 New Orleans has always been a city perfect for hedonists. There was always an abundance of food and drink. Revelers went wild during the city's peak time _Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. Thanks to the pandemic that's all changed. The city is subdued.

 Regular contributor Brett Anderson wrote about this change in yesterday's New York Times Food section. Last year's Mardi Gras 2020 was the last gasp of normalcy and fun . it was also an accelerant of the virus' spread, in the early days of the pandemic. Now that's all changed. The parties are cancelled as are the famed parades.Luckily there are still places to go to. The bar scene has been brought to their knees, which not even Hurricane Katrina could do.  Activity has been moved primarily outdoors, especially for bars that also serve food. It doesn't work for those whose only serve cocktails, beer and wine. Bars with food permits can serve indoors but only at a twenty-five per cent capacity.The town is known for tourists and locals walking around with a large cocktail or bag of beignets  Mayor LaToya Cantrel will allow everyone to stroll the streets but they have to follow pandemic rules, namely social distancing and mask wearing. There is also the eleven PM closing time, jarring for a city that parties well into the early morning. 

The city will endure as it has for the last 340 years. Bars such as d.b.a. ,a music club in the Faubourg Marigny section of the city, is allowing its' musicians to play to audiences on the street. Tom Thayer, the owner says its' future depends on the rate of infection.  Yet they still plot and plan. Some are luckier than others. Cure, founded by Neal Bodenheimer   is successful. His is a bar that straddles the line between  eatery and restaurant and it and his other ventures,a taqueria and another bar, Val, have ample outdoor space for customers. He even has the luxury of hiring more employees, and makes sure that they get a twenty per cent from all patrons.  Yet, they too are vulnerable and most bar owners worry about their own health.Chris Hannah, owner of the famed Jewel of The South and one of the most respected  cocktail makers in the city, became increasingly worry about his well being. Gone was his nightly glass of spirits when reading. It was replaced by echinacea tea. He also started to eat raw garlic to boost his immunity and became obsessive about yoga.

New Orleans is a city that lets the good times roll. The good times may slow down but they  will never die.That's what makes the city what it is, full of good food and tasty drinks.

Celebrating With Kevin Belton

New Orleans has always been known for their amazing dishes, cooked by amazing chefs. One is Kevin Belton, star of the PBS show. "Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen". He is a bright star on the American culinary scene, creating recipes whose names make the mouth water. Good news for his fans and affectionados of NOLA cooking. He has a new  cookbook out and it is a home library must have.

 Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations With Rhonda K .Findley (Gibbs Smith Publishing 2019) is a valentine to the city that raised him and celebrates his talent. He is a true child of New Orleans. Its' multicultural and centuries diverse population have influenced three generations of family and it comes through in all the book's recipes. For those who think this is just a cookbook revolving around Cajun and Creole recipes, think again. New Orleans has always been home to various immigrants and Chef Belton has their recipes incorporated between beignets and etouffee. I was surprised to see one of my Greek favorites, dolmades featured in it along with sauerkraut. Yet the Greeks and Germans have contributed to the wealth and culture of southern Louisiana for decades. Chef Belton also has many Sicilian recipes too, from calzone to calamari. The ethnic recipes are kind of sectioned together in  loose chapters but there are also sections celebrating tomatoes, , and cat fish, important ingredients in New Orleans' cooking. There are even fusion recipes like the classic boudin, a kind of sausage topping pizza.

I really like  this book because I really like watching Chef Belton on PBS. His is a fun show, full of humor and learning. The book is an absolute treat much like the show.. The cookbook starts off with his reminisces of his food experiences , from Mardi Gras to the famed NOLA Jazzfest. Another neat thing is Kevin's Take at the bottom of each introduction. They're nuggets of information that will help the home chef as well as enhance the cooking experience. The recipes are manageable and it's fun to see the international influence on the cuisine. The main influence , of course is the Cajun and Creole, and their recipes don't disappoint,The beignets with chocolate sauce is definitely on my must make list What I like is that Chef Belton has both sweet and savory recipes.There are lobster stuffed beignets as well as herbed ham and cheese ones, perfect hors d'ouevres.The gumbo z'herbes is a wonderful melange of different kinds of greens , from spinach to kale simmered with file powder, a New Orleans kitchen must have and cayenne.. Of course there are Po'Boys, from shrimp remoulade to cheesesteak, with a meatball one too, that's also on my to try list. Jambalaya is also here and there's even a breakfast one that has a sunnyside egg topping it. New Orleans is a port  so seafood abounds. Chef Belton has an assortment  of seafood recipes from garlic oysters and oyster chowder to shrimp and grits.

Kevin Belton's New Orleans Celebrations with Rhonda K. Findley is a phenomenal book , celebrating every aspect of NOLA. The recipes are diverse, like the city itself. They're also full of the love and exuberance that Kevin Belton has for his city.