Books Along the Teche Literary Festival Features Great Southern Chefs Bonnie Breaux and Ryan Trahan

Chefs Bonnie Breaux and Ryan Trahan (used with permission from Lee Ball)

In Louisiana, good food is serious business. We prize our oyster beds, our redfish, catfish, and crawfish. We can batter and fry almost anything and when we aren't doing that we are making a roux and creating a delicious etouffee or gumbo.  From Natchitoches meat pies to crabmeat pizzas in Arnaudville, from crawfish in Breaux Bridge to oysters in New Orleans, we love good food.

That might be why the Great Southern Chefs Food Demo at the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival in April is always a popular event.

This year the cooking demo featured 2017 Louisiana Seafood Queen Bonnie Breaux of Cafe Sydnie Mae in Breaux Bridge and chef Ryan Trahan of Blue Dog Cafe in Lafayette. Ryan is the 2018 King of American Seafood.

The event filled up quickly Friday morning at the Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion on Bayou Teche in New Iberia. I skipped breakfast that morning because I knew we would soon be sampling delicious bowls of crawfish etouffee and Louisiana shrimp and grits.

Before the chefs demos, we were treated to a discussion by author Ken Wells about his new book, Gumbo Life: Tales from the Roux Bayou:

A seasoned journalist, Ken Wells sleuths out the answers. His obsession goes back to his childhood in the Cajun bastion of Bayou Black, where his French-speaking mother’s gumbo often began with a chicken chased down in the yard. Back then, gumbo was a humble soup little known beyond the boundaries of Louisiana. So when a homesick young Ken, at college in Missouri, realized there wasn’t a restaurant that could satisfy his gumbo cravings, he called his momma for the recipe. That phone-taught gumbo was a disaster. The second, cooked at his mother’s side, fueled a lifelong quest to explore gumbo’s roots and mysteries. 

In Gumbo Life: Tales from the Roux Bayou, Wells does just that. He spends time with octogenarian chefs who turn the lowly coot into gourmet gumbo; joins a team at a highly competitive gumbo contest; visits a factory that churns out gumbo by the ton; observes the gumbo-making rituals of an iconic New Orleans restaurant where high-end Creole cooking and Cajun cuisine first merged.

Mr. Wells's talk was peppered with funny stories and one point that interested me was his research into the earliest gumbos and his discovery that more than likely bear grease was used as the oil for the roux.

Author Ken Wells (photo used with permission from Lee Ball)

"New Orleans was awash in bear grease!" he told us.

This made perfect sense to me.  Elizabeth Shown Mills talks about this in her book The Forgotten People: Cane River's Creoles of Color.  By 1792, Marie Therese Coincoin, a former slave given her freedom by Pierre Thomas Claude Metoyer, was successfully farming tobacco on land given to her by Metoyer. She shipped this tobacco on barges to New Orleans. She also "trapped wild bears in the Natchitoches wilderness and sent bear grease to market..." (Mills 39).  Mills reports that Coincoin sent, in one particular shipment, three hundred hides and two barrels of bear grease.  This was a fairly common practice at that time and so Ken Wells comments resonated with me.

During the course of his research, Mr. Wells even obtained a small container of bear grease from a supplier and tested the bear-grease-roux.

His book is a fascinating study in the history of our most beloved dish and after his talk, Mr. Wells signed copies of his book.

The first cooking demo of the morning was chef Bonnie Breaux. An animated, enthusiastic chef, Miss Breaux says she is self-taught and learned to cook at her mother's side and later out of necessity to feed her family. Most recently Breaux had been the chef at St. John restaurant in St. Martinville (one of our favorites!) and Cafe Sydnie Mae is a sort of sister restaurant in Breaux Bridge.

Breaux shared her crawfish etouffee secrets with the crowd at the Steamboat Warehouse Pavilion and stressed the importance of  using the crawfish fat in the etouffee.  "That's where all your flavor is," she said.  When asked what kind of rice she uses, Breaux said she just uses regular medium or long grain rice in her etouffee.  There's a time and place for jasmine rice and the other gourmet grains, but not in a Louisiana etouffee. She also shared that she never tastes her food while she's cooking it.

Chef Ryan Trahan followed and his dish was shrimp and grits.  Trahan grew up in a restaurant family

Trahan's Shrimp and Grits (photo used with permission from Lee Ball)

and is from Crowley, Louisiana. His rule in the kitchen: "Everyone stirs the grits," he said.  "If you walk by, you stir the grits. If I walk by, I stir the grits. Everyone stirs the grits."   The rule must work pretty well because his shrimp and grits were to die for; the grits were creamy and the dish was seasoned with Trahan's own Worcestershire sauce.

Breaux and Trahan were available and visible throughout the day, talking to festival participants and sharing cooking stories. They were both at the evening event at the Sliman theater as well.

There is no shortage of fabulous chefs in Louisiana but festival organizers were on top of the game when they scored these two "royal" chefs for the demo this year!


Coming next in my Festival recap: Taking the Second Line through Historic Main Street

Thank you to photographer Lee Ball for allowing me to use his photos!


Further Reading:
2018 Small Town Chefs: Bonnie Breaux (Country Roads Magazine, 6/22/18)
Gumbo Life, Tales from the Roux Bayou (Robert Davis, New York Journal of Books)
About the Chef: Ryan Trahan (Blue Dog Cafe)
Voter's Choice (Vicky Branton, The Daily Iberian, 10/24/18)
Author Rebecca Wells Charms the Books Along the Teche Literary Festival (SIGIS, 4/10/19)

Evi's Schnitzel Haus and Biergarten Zum Roten Fluss: Germany Comes to Shreveport

Evi Bradford

There is so much written and posted about Shreveport these days that is negative that sometimes it's really necessary for us to stop and look at the bright spots.

I'd like to highlight one of those bright spots here.

By now, most in Shreveport know we now have a fabulous German restaurant in town.  Evi's Schnitzel Haus first opened on North Market but quickly realized that the perfect location for their business would be the empty Tudor-style building on Shreveport-Barksdale Highway which originally housed Steak & Lobster and most recently Athena.

Since their move into the new location business has taken off, word has spread, and even better, the
community has truly embraced and fallen in love with this family.

Evi Bradford was born and raised in Giessen, Germany; she grew up working in her mother's restaurant and while it wasn't her favorite thing to do, she learned her way around a kitchen and around the food service industry.  She married an American serviceman and they have a beautiful family here in Shreveport all of whom work in the restaurant.

When you go to the restaurant you will see her boys at the door to greet you and Evi in the kitchen but when things slow down she will run out and sit down and talk to you.  She likes to know her customers and likes to hear their stories of Germany.  She's as warm and sweet as anyone I've ever met and has a smile that makes you feel like you've known her forever.  She laughs easily and when she does her eyes sparkle; it's easy to tell she is doing what she loves.

Jaeger Schnitzel

Evi describes her food as "German comfort food."  At the restaurant you can get the tenderest, most delicious schnitzel you've ever tasted; there are a variety of sauces and gravies that can top your
schnitzel.  Jaeger Schnitzel has a rich brown mushroom gravy while the Zweibel Schnitzel (my favorite) is topped with brown gravy and delicious carmelized onions.  There are several other varieties from which to choose.

If you want something smaller, brats are available, or Curry Wurst.   I almost always order the Geschnetzeltes which I can only compare to a beef stroganoff.  It's delicious.

Sides include Gurkensalat, which is a thinly sliced cucumber salad with a touch of dill, or you could go for the traditional Sauerkrat or Rotkraut.  Also popular is the Spaetzle, a sort of soft egg noodle, or Spaetzle with cheese.

The menu at the restaurant is continually growing with new additions coming soon like Rouladen and goulash.

A happy pretzel

The restaurant is family oriented and the staff and customers alike are always friendly; people come in and end up sharing memories of their trips to Germany.  As a testament to how this community has embraced the family,  One wall of the restaurant is covered with a German Schrank, or large cabinet unit, which is filled with items customers have brought to Evi such as German beer steins, Volksmarch medals and canes, commemorative plates, and glassware.  The only thing in the Schrank that Evi actually contributed is two teacups that belonged to her mother.

The family has big plans for the restaurant and they now have opened a new venture: Biergarten Zum Roten Fluss, or Beer Garden on the Red River.  It's located at the foot of the bridge at 1303 Shreveport-Barksdale Highway.

The Biergarten is in a sort of soft-opening right now - the decor is not finished and not very German yet, but that's coming.  What's fabulous about the Biergarten is the huge selection of imported German beer, both in bottles and on tap, that you can select.  Not a beer drinker?  There' is also an excellent variety of German wine to choose from as well as other traditional bar choices.  Right now it's only open Thursday - Saturday, but those hours will expand soon.

The Biergarten is also offering a few light food choices that are different from the restaurant: we had a huge, soft pretzel that was delicious, and Knackwurst.  You can also order wings and fries.  Right now they're offering a "value meal" which is eight wings, fries, dipping sauces, and a flight of four German draft beers for $20.

Evi gave us a sample of a wonderfully rich beer-cheese soup she's going to introduce there soon, and there will eventually be a cold cuts and cheese platter available.

Giant Jenga

The Biergarten also offers some fun pub games like this giant Jenga style game.  In nice weather
there is a patio on the front of the building which will be a great place to sit outside and enjoy your beer or food.  There's a large stage at one end of the building where they will bring in live music, karaoke, and fun contests, like drinking out of the German Beer Boot.  I'm really looking forward to see what they do with Oktoberfest next year!

This family is committed to Shreveport-Bossier and is growing their business because of the love and support our community has shown.  When you have a good product and you don't skimp on portions or quality, and you offer top-notch customer service, you will be successful in the food service industry and Evi Bradford and her husband know that.

Eat Local! A W's Steakhouse Review

A review.

Last night Steve and I branched out to a new restaurant: we are creatures of habit and usually stick to two or three restaurants that we really like when we eat out.  We avoid chains and franchises when we can with the exception of Texas Roadhouse which we like.

We live within sniffing distance of W's Steakhouse on E. Kings Highway and the smell of charbroiled steaks has beckoned long enough so we gave it a try last night.  Fabulous!

Any longtime Shreveport resident knows the building -- the beautiful, art-deco building next door to George's Grill.  I ate many an order of Snapper a la Brocato in that building -- the tender, flaky red snapper smothered in a rich cream sauce with shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat and served in a parchment bag.  I had many an order of crab claws and made many trips to the salad bar in that building for "Wop Salad" and that home made bean soup.  Oh, how I miss Brocato's.

So, returning to the building for a fine meal last night was fun, and we weren't disappointed.  The

Old Brocato's Menu

owners have taken care to preserve the karma and atmosphere of Brocato's while dressing it up just a little in modern clothes. We ate in the restaurant side last night, but upon leaving, we looked into the bar area and that looks more my style for next time. The bar side still has the exposed brick walls that I remember from Brocato's and a sort of 1960s vibe.

We both had the 12 oz ribeye; I had the famous augratin potatoes while Steve went with the veggies.  Both of us had the wedge salad with blue cheese crumbles.  The steaks were perfectly seasoned and cooked as ordered.  The augratin potatoes can't be beat anywhere -- except maybe by The Cub which is where I first had them.  They are not your typical augratins: it's a secret recipe with maybe some pepperjack, and a richer, creamier sauce than I've ever had anywhere.  Divine.

The service was great -- not overpowering and not absent.  Our server visited with us and told us she had served at Don's and at Sansone's and that made me happy because I loved those local places, too.

And so that's the point, really, which is how important it is to support local eateries. East Kings used to be one long strip of classic local dining; from Sansone's to Murrell's, from Brocato's to George's Grill, from Cobb's BBQ to Strawn's to Don's, one right after the other.  All local. Mostly gone, now.

W's might be a little pricey for some, but our steaks came with salad and side, and they give a 10%

discount for active and retired military and law enforcement (even though their Facebook page said 20%, most service members are grateful for any discount at all!)

We loved our experience at W's last night and will return. As you are driving along Youree Drive and looking at one chain restaurant after another with one vacuum packed processed meal after another in their freezers, ready to microwave or slap in the broiler on the way to your table, remember your local eateries and support them. The Anvil on Line Avenue, next to Superior, is excellent; The Blind Tiger downtown, excellent. We still have George's Grill and Strawn's.  And there are several local Mexican places, of course -- Nicky's is our favorite.

Thanks W's Steakhouse for reminding us the importance of supporting local endeavors and thanks for an excellent dining experience!

Eat local!

W's Steakhouse

189 East Kings Highway
Shreveport, LA 71104

Phone: 318-861-1571

Allen's Grill: A Review

Hey, Shreveport:  if Allen's Grill isn't on your food radar yet, it should be.  The local establishment celebrates its birthday today; they've been serving up hot, down-home cooking at the corner of Line and Jordan (the old Mid-City Motor Hotel) for one year.

Steve and I always try to eat (and shop) local when we can, and so we set out today to try Allen's for the first time.  We were really impressed.

The diner is ground level, facing Jordan, in the old Mid City Motor Hotel, and I'm thrilled to see shops and businesses opening up there.  Next door is a neat looking thrift shop called Patina, but they were not open this afternoon.  We went through the old revolving door (love that!) and were greeted with a chorus of "Welcome to Allen's!"

The place is spotless and very neat; attractive photos and decorative pieces hang on the walls; the tables are covered with cheerful vinyl red and white tablecloths.  A nice touch:  there are tiny bottles of hand-sanitizer among the salt, pepper, hot sauce and sugar dispensers on each table!).

We sat ourselves and a cheerful young lady, smartly uniformed in black slacks, white button down blouse, and tie, came to our table.  She brought menus and took our drink order with a smile.

Steve and I both went for the catfish today, but as it's Friday, we could also have had hamburger steak or pork chops.  The plate lunch came with two sides and it was difficult to choose which two I

wanted.  I went with scalloped potatoes and collards; Steve got potatoes and blackeyed peas.  We also got a side of onion rings because that's the litmus test of a place for us!

There was pleasant conversation among the tables as customers visited with each other about football games and the weather.  Because it was an anniversary celebration today, Allen's Grill was giving out door prizes all day.  A fellow shuffled up to our table and had me draw a number out of a little styrofoam bowl - #7.  I won a coffee mug and nifty coaster which he brought to my table in a cute Christmas bag!

Our food arrived steaming hot and very promptly.  The portions were more than generous and all perfectly seasoned.  The fish was flaky and tender with a nice batter neither too heavy or too light. Our server brought plenty of tartar sauce without  having to ask for it.  I'd have been perfectly happy with a huge bowl of the collards with some cornbread on the side; there were chunks of ham hock in the greens which were tender and perfectly seasoned.  It never crossed my mind to douse them in pepper vinegar; they were already perfect.

And our litmus test onion rings?  Perfect!  Not frozen.  I loathe the laziness of frozen onion rings.  These were great and there were plenty of them.

I'm not sure what the usual dessert fare includes; we were each given a piece of birthday cake in honor of their anniversary celebration and that was just fine with us!  We both ate every bite.

I was impressed with the management; good management shows in happy employees, quick service, and a clean restaurant.  At one point there was a burst of happy laughter coming from the kitchen and even though the manager/owner (not sure) quietly hushed them, it was certainly not overly boisterous and just showed me that the employees like working there.  That's always a good thing!

As I said, we love to support local businesses and Allen's Grill is one that I hope sticks around.  We have a couple of hot-lunch places along the E. Kings Highway corridor that we frequent, but Allen's will definitely go into the rotation.  Each place has its own ambiance and its own specialty and we liked what we saw at Allen's. Give them a try next time you're out looking for a good lunch.  They also serve breakfast all day.

Allen's Grill is located at 729 Jordan St., phone 318-606-2079.  Facebook page is here.

New Year's Eve in Shreveport 2014

I'm a bit slow on the annual "what to do for New Year's Eve" post, but let's give it a shot.  Here's a roundup of events in case you want to get out and celebrate after the Independence Bowl:

The American Legion Post 14 on beautiful Cross Lake will have their annual festivities from 8:00 - 1:00. Music will be provided by Dickie T and the Back When Band and your ticket includes appetizers. There will be a cash bar.  Tickets are $25 for singles, $30 for couples.

El Dorado Casino will have musical entertainment by Big Richard.  Their festivities feature a New Year's Eve showgirl with a 50 foot red carpet train attached to her dress.  The Allure Lounge will have silver clad showgirls.  Visit the casino site for prices and packages.

Sam's Town in Shreveport will feature zydeco legend  Rockin' Dopsie, Jr. in a free concert with party favors and champagne.  He takes the stage at 10:00.

The Moose Lodge on Industrial will host an Elvis tribute with Richard Cook.  There will be a cash bar and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door.  The fun begins at 9:00.  Call 688-6733 for more information.

The always awesome Robinson Film Center will hold its annual screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  The show begins at 10 but you'll want to make reservations for dinner at Abby Singer's Bistro where you can feast on prime rib, lobster mac and cheese, and grilled asparagus.  Top it off with a complimentary glass of champagne.  You'll need reservations so call 459-4125 to take care of that.

The Boot on Texas Street downtown is celebrating New Years AND helping a local animal rescue (Yogie and Friends).  They'll have karaoke and a raffle to enter a brand new Jager machine.  It begins at 7:00 p.m. and goes until 4:00 a.m.

Harrah's at Louisiana Downs hosts an annual party with DJ Love and cover band Miss Used.  There will be fireworks at midnight.

Fatty Arbuckles on the Clyde Fant Parkway downtown will host its annual New Year's Eve party with music by the Lackadasies, Engine, and Jacob Disedare.  Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.  You'll get a bottle of champagne upon entrance.

Diamond Jacks Casino has a free party with music by Elaw from 6 - 9, and Side FX from 9-1; free champagne and party favors.  It begins at 6:00.

Not into the club scene?  Go bowling instead.  Each year Holiday Lanes does intergalactic Glow in the Dark Bowling.  The evening includes unlimited bowling, a breakfast platter, party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight.  Tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for age twelve and younger.

SciPort will host New Year's at Noon on Dec. 31; wear your PJs and watch the SciPort ball drop.  There will be a party hat contest, face painting, a Space Dome dance party, and lots of craft activities.  The fun begins at 9:00 a.m. and goes until about 2.  Admission is free with paid Center admission.

If you're here for the Advocare Independence Bowl, there are lots of great restaurants in the area to start your New Year's Eve evening after the game.  There are all the normal chain and franchise restaurants and fast food joints (most of them on the south end of Youree Drive) and many excellent local, independent restaurants.  Some of my favorites:

The Blind Tiger in downtown Shreveport is a popular local spot for great Louisiana cajun style food.

If you need to get your Mexican food fix on, you can't go wrong at Nicky's.  Nicky's has several locations (we prefer the one on Airline Drive.  Ask for Mirabelle to be your server!)  Nicky's is reasonably priced, consistently good, and has great cold draft beer in huge frosted glasses.

Herby K's is a local favorite and the shrimp buster is famous.  Again, cold beer, frosted glasses.  Very nice.

My favorite, and the place where you'll find me, is The Anvil Bar and Grill on Line Avenue.  Joe

Fertitta runs one of the best restaurants in town and has a long history of consistently excellent food and service.  At The Anvil you will find the freshest seafood and the finest steaks as well as excellent pasta dishes and burgers. Lennice Bolton will be singing in the bar, working his keyboard and guitar.  He'll sing Sam Cooke, B.B. King, and other mellow tunes.  Reservations are recommended.

Ernest's Orleans Restaurant is another local favorite, famous for their marinated crab claws.  Ernest's is located at the top of the hill as you enter downtown from the south.  Dez Duron will perform and Ernest's will have a Prix Fixe menu.  Reservations recommended.

Texas Roadhouse is a nice franchise with a very good, affordable steak.  It's located right off I20 on Gould Drive in Bossier City.

If Asian food is calling your name, Ming Garden on Shreveport-Barksdale Highway is an excellent choice.

If it's a burger that you crave, you can't go wrong at the newly opened Twisted Root on Line Avenue, near the Loop.  Twisted Root has a full bar, a lively atmosphere, and a variety of burgers (including game like venison or buffalo) and a pickle bar. I recommend the sweet potato chips.

Remember, don't drink and drive.  Get a designated driver or call a taxi.  Some local taxi services you might want to program into your phone:

Yellow Checker Cab:  425-7000
Action Taxi:  222-8294 (222-TAXI)
Casino Cabs:  425-3325
Four Aces Taxi:  632-0005

Stay safe and have fun!

Happy 2014!

Take a Dinner Ride Through East Texas

Steve and I went on a new adventure yesterday:  we hooked up with some friends who were taking their motorcycles on a dinner ride into East Texas.  The threat of rain pushed a few of them into their cars, but a few brave riders stuck with their bikes.  We followed along in the Jeep.

We all met up at "the old Kelley's truck stop" which is now a TA Travel Center.  While we were waiting on everyone to gather I perused the aisles in the truck stop.  Truck stops are interesting places.  Much more than a convenience store, you can buy CB radios, little dog bowls for your traveling companion, audio books, road maps and atlases, mileage log books, a wide assortment of bar mix, beef jerky, popcorn, nuts, dried fruits, and other travel food, as well as standard trade paperbacks and postcards.  You could even get a "real" gator tooth necklace and some Texas shot glasses.

I bought three post cards and a coke.

Everyone was in place around 4:15 so we headed west into East Texas.  We took Highway 80 through Waskom (and I found an antique store I want to go back and check out).   The main drag through Waskom was pretty neat and I'd have taken some pictures but we didn't want to fall out of line with the riders and get behind.  I love quaint old downtown districts.

From there we turned north on FM9 and took a succession of scenic Farm Market roads that led us eventually into Karnak where we found our dinner destination, Big Pines Lodge.  Here we are!

I guess most people in East Texas have heard of Big Pines Lodge, but it was new to me.  What a colorful history it has!  You can read about it here.  The restaurant is situated right next to Big Cypress Bayou which feeds right into beautiful Caddo Lake.    There is no cell phone service there (if you're with AT&T, at least).

The restaurant began in the 1930s as a fishing camp and didn't serve food originally.  Through the years there have been cabins to stay in, an armed robbery, at least one flood, one devastating fire, nights of dancing on a paddle boat, and many, many satisfied customers.  What you see there now is the new and renovated Big Pines Lodge after a fire destroyed the building in 2009.  I loved the outdoor dining area:

Check out the great photos and videos on the website; there is one video about the carving of this tree:

Here's a closer look:

After we ordered our food I went outside and took a few pictures and explored.  You can buy fish food for a quarter and feed the fish that come up to the dock:

View from the dock:

Looking down the bayou:

I secretly covet this house right next door to the restaurant:

Loved the trees dripping with Spanish moss:

A view of the bayou from the upper patio:

I liked the alligators in the cement, and note the tree-columns:

Most everyone ordered the catfish for dinner but a couple of us ordered steak.  The waitresses brought cole slaw and hush puppies (both regular and jalapeno) to the table when we sat down.  Steve ordered catfish:

...and I ordered steak:

The food was all great.  We had a fried alligator appetizer, too.

Steve appreciated the decorator's sense of humor:

And I liked the old jukebox loaded with actual 45s:

After dinner we all went our separate ways.  Steve and I headed on over to Marshall, TX because we knew Soulfish was playing over there and it was still early.

Marshall is one of the stops on the Holiday Trail of Lights and the town is known for their Christmas light display on the former courthouse.  The old courthouse is Renaissance revival in style and is now, I think, the home to the Harrison County Historical Museum.

It's a pretty neat building:

One day we'll go investigate further and see what's inside.  It's got to be pretty cool.

There is a confederate soldier out front:

And a canon in the parking lot:

There was some sort of little festival going on downtown and as we walked around looking at buildings, killing time until Soulfish started, we could hear the band playing 80s hits.  There were a lot of people down there, and we discovered a new restaurant we want to try:  The Blue Frog Grill.

I thought this fountain was cute: water for you and water for your four legged friend:

Eventually we made our way to PJ's - an old hotel bar by the interstate.

We spent a couple of hours listing to the sweet blues of Soulfish Blues Band before heading back down the interstate toward home.

The only thing wrong with last night's adventure is that we weren't able to take the top down on the Jeep.

Good times!

The SIGIS Take a Trip Series:

Take a Trip to an End of Summer Party and Listen to Soulfish Blues Band

Take a Summer Trip to Jefferson, Texas and Meet New Friends

Take a Trip to Dallas, Texas and The West End

Take a Stocking the Freezer Trip to Ed Lester Farms and Find a Cool Truck!

Take a Trip to Coushatta Down Louisiana Backroads

Take a Sunday Drive in North Caddo Parish

Take a Trip to Minden's First Annual Cinco de Mayo Festival

Take a Trip to the 2012 Defenders of Liberty Air Show at BAFB
Take a Springtime Trip to Second Hand Rose Antiques in Minden, LA
Take a Trip to Logansport, Louisiana
Take a Trip to the Lock and Dam on Red River
Take a Trip to the 2012 Barkus and Meoux Parade
Take a Christmas Shopping Trip to Second Hand Rose in Minden
Take a Trip to Grand Cane's Fifth Annual Pioneer Trade Day
Take a Trip to the 2011 Highland Jazz & Blues Festival
Take an Autumn Trip to Jefferson, Texas
Take a Fall Trip to Second Hand Rose Antiques in Minden
Take a Trip to the 8th Air Force Museum at Barksdale Air Force Base
Take a Summertime Trip to Grand Cane
Take a Trip to Desoto Parish
Take a Summer Trip to Second Hand Rose Antiques in Minden
Take a Trip to Natchitoches and Melrose Plantation 
Take a Trip to Ed Lester Farms and a Random Antique Stop
Take a Trip to the Norton Art Gallery and the Masters of Cuban Art Exhibit
Take a Trip to Natchitoches to See the Christmas Lights
Take a Trip to Natchitoches and Oakland Plantation
Take a Trip to Jefferson, Texas

A Restaurant Review

Take time out from politics for a minute; I'm doing a restaurant review here.

Steve and I have found a new favorite restaurant. We went to Vince's tonight (it's in the old Tony Roma's building by WalMart/Bert Kouns).

As I understand it, Vince has a regular following because of his North Port restaurant, but not getting up to North Market much, I'd never heard of it. We ended up there because we loved the steaks at Madison Square Garden and the guy that used to run that place was awesome with a steak. His name is Bill and Bill knows about customer service and about cooking with good, fresh ingredients. We went to Madison Square Garden one night after Bill had left (we didn't know it) and could immediately tell that the food was different. We never went back. But we tracked Bill down at Vince's.

They had a good crowd going when we arrived around 6. The place is open and nicely decorated - not too formal and not too casual. So Steve had the all you can eat catfish which came with slaw, bean soup and french fries. I had the crabmeat au gratin. We also ordered fried mushrooms. The mushrooms were GREAT - they were fresh and prepared on site - not frozen. They were piping hot and served with ranch dressing. Both our entrees were perfect; Steve pronounced the catfish perfectly seasoned and fresh. My crabmeat was appropriately rich, very cheesy and with the occasional tiny shell fragment just to let you know it's the real deal!

This is the one time I didn't take pictures of my food with my iPhone; I saw they had a website and figured they'd have pictures of their food there. Sorry. Use your imagination.

Vince has an extensive menu which you can see here. They have an inviting bar and oysters on the half shell; count me in on that one. It's a perfect place to pull in to for happy hour. They also have a patio which will be great when it's not 103 degrees outside.

What will keep me coming back to Vince's, and what Vince has clearly figured out, is the customer service. I've paid my dues in the food service industry and know the ropes. Vince knows that customers appreciate the owner/manager coming by the table and checking on things. He comes by, introduces himself, and checks to be sure things are okay. That matters. I was filling out my customer comment card and it asked for my server's name; I told Steve, "I don't remember my server's name!" and the passing hostess looked back over her shoulder and said, "It's Kelly!" Service! Two different bus boys checked to see how we were or if we needed plates cleared; they were conversational but not overbearing. Nobody was too fussy, it was all unobtrusive, and well appreciated.

We didn't have room for dessert, but they had plenty to offer, including bread pudding and chocolate cake.

So, if you're in the Shreveport area, and I know a lot of my readers are, check out Vince's. It's located smack in the middle of a zillion chain restaurants out there, but I'd rather support a local guy any day than some chain restaurant with frozen, processed food. We'll definitely be back.

Shreve Square, Friday Night

Friday Night. Steve and I went to one of our favorite spots for dinner - The Blind Tiger. We were both sort of craving a good old hamburger and nobody does them better than The Blind Tiger. I've blogged here before about their crab cakes, which I love. Besides, we totally love their REAL, not frozen, home made onion rings and FRESH, not frozen, fried mushrooms. Talk about heaven on a plate - those mushrooms are to die for. They come out HOT with a ranch dip and a horseradish based dip and the mushrooms are sprinkled heavily with grated Parmesan cheese.

I've eaten lots of meals in that building going back to when it was T.G.I. Fridays back in the 1970s and 80s. After Fridays closed it became Chelsea Square and then has been The Blind Tiger ever since. Through them all, the building has kept its character. The hardwood floor is polished with nothing but the years of foot traffic and the tin ceiling still gleams. Windows make up the exterior walls giving full view of all downtown traffic, both foot traffic and vehicles coming off the Texas Street Bridge. It's just a really comfortable place to go hang out, eat a great meal and relax. We somehow almost always get the same server when we go, and we like that, too.

When we left we strolled through "the Square" and I had some major flashbacks of the glory days of the Square. For those not familiar with the area, Shreve Square is the two or three block area coming off the Riverfront into downtown. Once a thriving commercial area, in the 1970s and 80s (when I remember it) it was a busy, hopping collection of clubs and restaurants. In 1978 I was working as a waitress at Whiskey River - my mother still has nightmares about this - and then worked as a waitress at The Spaghetti Store. After work at the restaurant, or on my nights off, we'd all go to "The Sportspage" or to "Humpfrees."

Well anyway, skipping the stroll down good-times-lane, it was just sad tonight to see how it's all died. The Square became The Red River District and after some shootings and muggings and fights, nobody goes there anymore. The old buildings have been left to decay and be either destroyed or consumed by casinos and turned into parking lots. So sad. I stood there, right there, in front of Humpfrees and could just hear "A-Train" playing, see the cold beer in the ice in the aluminum water troughs, I could see the crowds mingling in and out, standing outside talking and laughing... And then it was gone. Dead. The three huge windows that made up the back of the stage are now covered in plywood. The entrance is boarded up and dark.

Things change and time marches on. We all get older! Back then you could have NEVER told me I'd be home blogging on a Friday night, watching The Wizard of Oz. Not me baby, I'm going to be OUT! Clubbing! Forever!

On his blog, Robert Trudeau is now putting out the word for old Humpfrees stories; he has a student that is working on an historical paper of the area. I'll be interested in reading about it when she finishes her project! There were lots of famous folks that went through that place and lots, lots of wild stories. She's more interested in the historical aspect, not the "oh I got drunk there!" stories, which is probably a good thing! If you know anything that might help her with her project, send it along!

As long as The Blind Tiger stays open and doesn't fold under the heavy burden of chain restaurants and casinos I'll be happy. But god help me if they should fold and I have to muddle my way through a quagmire of frozen breaded mushrooms and frozen minced onion - onion rings. Blech. Blind Tiger will always remind me of the glory days of the Square. Good times.

The Blue Willow Inn Cookbook

As the school year has started I find that I have less time for cooking. I love to cook and love to try new recipes, but it always takes me a few weeks to get back into the routine of the school year. Steve would take me out to dinner every night if that's what I wanted, but we both get tired of eating out. We enjoy eating out more if we don't do it too often. I prefer to cook when I can.

On the weekends I do have time to put together decent meals. Yesterday, for example, I made red beans and rice; I might have been inspired by my recent trip to Don's Seafood, or maybe it was a deep longing for fall to hurry up, but either way, they turned out pretty good. I like to use a mixture of andouille and regular pork sausage in my red beans and rice. Plus, it makes lots of leftovers for the upcoming week!

Today I'm going to make a shrimp and rice casserole that is in The Blue Willow Inn cookbook. The Blue Willow Inn is in Social Circle, GA, about an hour out of Atlanta. I've never been there but my sister gave me their cookbook for Christmas last year and I've made nearly everything in it. It's good old, bacon-grease-laden Southern cooking! (Yesterday I made their banana pudding recipe to go along with my red beans and rice). Many of their recipes use boxed or canned ingredients (like cream of mushroom soup), which most purist cooks scoff at, but the Blue Willow philosophy is that in all likelihood that's how your grandmother cooked. They are all about recreating that authentic Southern home cooking taste.

I'm glad I don't live near enough to the Blue Willow Inn to eat there often because by the looks of their cookbook, I'd weigh 500 pounds in no time.

Here, for your enjoyment, is Savannah Shrimp and Rice, from the Blue Willow Inn Cookbook.

1 small onion, chopped
1 small green pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
8 cups cooked rice
1 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (10-3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
salt and pepper
1/2 plus 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Sautee the onion and pepper in the butter. Preheat the oven to 350. In a mixing bowl, combine the onion and pepper with the rice, shrimp, soup, curry powder, 1/2 cup grated cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well. Pour shrimp mixture into a 9 x 12-inch baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until bubbly. Remove from the oven, and immediately sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Serve hot. Makes 8 servings.

(Photo credit: Bluewillowinn.com)

Last Call

I could not stand it and had to go just one more time to Don's before it closed. And because Steve loves me, he took me. We got there about 5:30 and it was so crowded that Steve had to park across the street at Brookshires. While he parked, I made my way inside and left my name with the hostess and she said "An hour and a half."

I have to say, it was thrilling to see how Shreveport came out to say goodbye to the old landmark. People of all ages were there and everyone had memories. I overheard one gentleman say, "I'm trying real hard to be cheerful but it's not easy." Lots of folks were walking around with cameras, myself included. I can't even think about how emotional it will be there tomorrow night and then on Sunday as they turn out the lights. I know from working in restaurants myself that those people you work with like that become family. There will be some tears shed before the door closes for the last time on Sunday.

Steve and I made our way to the bar and one of the waitresses was sitting there; she'd just had knee surgery and could not work but just "had to come say goodbye" to her customers that she knew would show up. And they did - in droves. We visited with her for a bit and she said people have been coming in like that ever since the news broke that Don's is closing on Sunday. You just couldn't help but think, "Where WERE all these people before?" and I'm guilty myself. I haven't been to Don's as much as I should have. It's been something I just took for granted and figured it would always be there. I talked to several people that said, "We come EVERY Friday night!" Our waitress friend told us that they had been struggling for a couple of years and just could not make it any more.

Of the artifacts in the place, I hear that Apollo has been sold already. Everything else will be sold. Steve and I shared a final dozen raw oysters at the bar, and I had a draft beer. He had to go to work so he had a coke. And as we left, I must admit, it was with a little tear in my eye that I said goodbye to Don's.

Another Sad Restaurant Tale

I was sad to hear about the closing of Don's Seafood Restaurant in Shreveport. They will be closing this weekend after 43 years. They just aren't getting the business anymore. Ironically, they've been busier than ever since the closing was announced - evidence of the adage, you don't appreciate what you have until it is gone.

The restaurant business in this town is over saturated and it will be the local places that go first. When Brocato's and Sansone's closed I thought it might be the end of the world. Now the last of the trio, Don's is going. Ernest's is left and it seems pretty solid for now but we better wake up and support our local restaurants or all we will have left will be freeze dried "grilled chicken" reheated by a broiler and served on a bed of lettuce from some chain restaurant on Youree Drive.

Don's, I will always remember you for great Bloody Marys and lump crabmeat salad, great service and atmosphere, and that huge blue marlin on the wall in the bar.

(Photo credit: KTBS.com)

Crazy for Crab Cakes

Steve and I went to The Blind Tiger last night for dinner. Every now and then I get an uncontrollable urge for crab cakes and I love the ones at The Blind Tiger. While they aren't as good as home made ones with fresh lump crabmeat, they are definitely worth the trip. I don't think they make the crab cakes on site because they are a little too uniformly round and all the exact same size, but I'm going out on a limb and suggest that they make that decadent crawfish sauce on site. The crawfish sauce is what MAKES the crab cakes! It's got just enough spice to remind you that you're in Louisiana. The sauce is thick and rich, like a roux base. We started out with the most excellent crispy fried mushrooms with a horseradish sauce.

The Blind Tiger was hoppin' last night and it's always good to see a local place doing so well. We got there pretty early but by 6:30 there was a short waiting time. We've never EVER had a bad food experience there but our waitress last night was a little surly. She rushed through our order, spent maybe fifteen seconds at our table, and when the food came out she literally slung it on the table and said, "Enjoy!" over her shoulder as she dashed away. I'd try to make the case for her just being slammed but we had to wait a long time for our check while she stood around visiting with her co-workers and twirling her hair; finally the hostess ran over and got our ticket and tabbed us out. I gave her part of our server's tip.

We struck up a conversation with a couple that was waiting for a table. They were from Arkansas and had come down for dinner. Turns out we were all about the same age and had hit all the same hot spots back in the 70s and 80s. Small world! But, that's one of the reasons I love the Blind Tiger - you meet nice people, share local stories, have awesome food, and support the local restaurant folks!

Key Lime Love

So after my going on earlier this week about how vile chain restaurants are, Steve and I went to Outback last night. In my defense, we had a gift card that was begging to be used. I have always liked Outback, despite my dislike of chains, and consider them an exception. On our visit last night I was thrilled to see that they were offering Key Lime Pie for dessert which is one of my all time favorites. I know a lot of people that don't care for it, but I totally love it if it's made properly.

There is a place in Sandestin, Florida called Elephant Walk. It's a fabulous restaurant but when we used to vacation down there with my mom and one of her friends, we'd sit by the pool and sip Key Lime Freezes. It was not-at-all like a margarita but more of a creamy, key lime pie, frozen into a slush with a hefty shot of rum. There was another restaurant that served the most delicious Amberjack sandwiches you can imagine (a big hunk of marinated, grilled amberjack on a toasted bun with coleslaw) and I'd pick one up to go, bring it back to the Elephant Walk and sip on a Key Lime Freeze while eating my sandwich and staring at the fabulous gulf and the white sand. It just doesn't get any better than that.

When I ordered my pie, Steve was all "Hmmm I don't really care for Key Lime Pie, but you go ahead." When it got there he picked at it a bit and then is like "Hey, this is pretty good!" He liked the graham cracker and pecan crust. Steve always eats his pie backwards, starting with the crust first. He made a pretty healthy attack on the pie and believe me, it was enough for us both!

So I'll retract my disdain of chain restraurants, but only a little bit. Only for Outback. And their pie.

Here's to Your Heart!

Food is a subject near and dear to my heart; I love to cook and love to eat! I have a huge cookbook collection, but to be honest, the food I love most is those so southern based recipes that my mom cooked and my grandmother. Bacon grease is usually the first ingredient in those recipes. My mother kept a metal canister on the stove that was filled with bacon grease. In these days when we microwave our bacon, you have to make more of an effort to collect your bacon grease and truly, good southern food just isn't the same without it! Good, cholesterol laden, artery-clogging bacon grease.

So when I came across this article in the NYTimes about Louise's Family Restaurant in Harlem, and their difficult times staying open in these heart-healthy days, it just made me want to boil up some ham hocks and cook some greens or something. By the time I finished reading about their menu (and bacon grease), I was starving.

I hate to see family owned or locally owned business go by the wayside. While all the chain restaurants running up and down our own Youree Drive are good for the economy, I dislike most of them. The saddest day in Shreveport-restaurant-history for me was the day Brocato's closed. Omigod the Snapper Brocato was to die for. My experience with chain restaurants has been mediocre food, uninspired service, and little originality. Give me a local L'Italiano or Monjuni's anyday, and you can keep your Olive Garden.

In solidarity for Louise's Family Restaurant in Harlem, and other local establishments, I encourage you to support the local places when you can! And for your heart, I offer a good, artery-clogging recipe:

Pinto Beans and Ham Hocks
Ingredients
3 smoked hamhocks
2 lbs. dried pinto beans
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 medium chopped onion
Directions
Boil hamhocks on high heat for 45 minutes. Add all seasonings except hot sauce and onion. Continue boiling for 20 minutes. Add pinto beans, hot sauce, and onion. Boil on medium heat until beans are done to taste.
Note: To speed up cooking of beans and reduce the gas beans produce, soak beans in cold water overnight or for three hours during the day.
Serve with rice and a meat sidedish. You can also use the hamhocks as your meat sidedish.

(Photo credit: Nicole Bengiveno/The New York Times)