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Sittin’ here in La-La…

And we’re back, after spending almost a full week with family in Louisiana; catching up with everyone was lots of fun and the purpose of the trip, of course, but the balmy weather was what really put smiles on our faces after our 15-degree week here in the northeast. “But what about the food?” you say. Glad you asked…

Our first meal of the trip came shortly after we landed in Kenner. Gil and I had been up since 3:30am (early flights — what can you do?), so we weren’t exactly in the mood for a big production. Good thing there’s Spahr’s, just across the bayou in Lafourche Parish.


Neither Spahr’s nor the bayou, but a shack on scenic Dufrene Ponds behind the restaurant. Kind of takes what little romance there was out of it, huh?

At Spahr’s, seafood’s always on the menu and it’s usually deep-fried, though when crabs or crawfish are in season, boiled is also an option. What I’m saying is, you don’t come here for heart-healthy food. Gil and I split a seafood platter and left very happy and on the verge of passing out. […]

Ah yes, I remember it well

No pictures (from me, anyway) to commemorate our wonderful dining experience at Tabla last night, but the memory of that meal will stay with me for a long, long time. Gil was less impressed than I and thought he’d had better at Café Matisse, but that’s just because he lost the ordering war: Why would you go for a scallop (that’s one ginormous scallop, btw) when there are more flavorful items on the menu? But hey, that’s just me.

The chef sent around an amuse bouche of cauliflower soup that surprised me on every level. It was brothy rather than creamy, spicy and tangy, and nothing like any cauliflower soup I’d ever had. The naan was pillowy and so fresh steam rose from the bread as we broke it. The sauces served with the naan were green squash- and apple-based and (our favorite) roasted tomato chutney. It was already a meal to savor and we hadn’t even seen our appetizers.

Because I didn’t feel like drinking wine last night, I skipped the foie gras (I know! There’s a first time for everything), and ordered the Fricassee of Oyster, Calamari, Whelks, and Periwinkles (with fava beans, Meyer lemon, […]

The humble lentil

I love to cook. Really, I do. But sometimes when I get home from work I just can’t stand the thought of it. Unfortunately, that leaves me with only two choices: Call Luigi’s for a pie (which we did Monday night) or suck it up and cook something anyway (which I did last night). Sucking it up can be as easy as eggs and toast or I can actually produce something from the pantry, albeit something simple.

Enter the lentil. It’s hard to go wrong with lentils. They’re great for you, cook quickly, and pair well with lots of flavors, as they live somewere between tofu and wild rice on the “blank slate” continuum. The Young Ones connotations aside, they make for a perfectly fine meal.

I opted for a really easy preparation last night. While the lentils (green ones, this time) were simmering in about two inches of water, I cooked a few strips of bacon using the easiest method ever: Place bacon slices on a rimmed baking sheet and put into a cold oven. Heat the oven to 425 degrees, and the bacon is ready! (Seriously. No mess, no fuss, no hot grease […]