Brian Medlin, owner of Smokin' Aces BBQ on Government Street, knew that opening a barbecue restaurant in Baton Rouge that both locals and travelers would love would be a challenge. However, since opening in October last year, the “shack”-style joint has maintained a loyal customer base.
The Drew Rodrigue Foundation will be hosting the fourth annual Bugs & Brew for Drew Crawfish Cook-off and Beer Festival, which will take place at a new location on the banks of the Mississippi River at River City Plaza at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans on April 20, 2013 from 11:00 a.m–5:00 p.m. Featuring a crawfish competition, Louisiana beer garden, local music, and children's entertainment, this family-friendly festival will benefit the Drew Rodrigue Foundation, a local non-profit which celebrates heroes in the face of adversity, in honor of Drew Rodrigue, a local football coach who battled against cancer.
Mud and Water's owners have made it a point to feature local beers on tap. And since the downtown bar opened last fall, the Canebrake from the Parish Brewing Company in Broussard has emerged as their No. 1 seller.
Sometimes the best dishes at a restaurant are off the menu, and you often have to scratch your head wondering why. In the case of Le Creolé, that dish is the crab cake ($14).
Back in October, many of you will remember that I set out on a craft beer adventure to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and then on to check out some breweries in San Diego. What might have slipped through the cracks is that I made a stop in Louisiana as well, and that my buddy Tommy Talley of tommysTV came along with me on the journey... with a camera. Here's a story that tells what I found out about the relationship between craft brewers and their wholesalers:
Anybody out there interested in a true farm-to-table type of dinner? The Louisiana Feast of Fields 2013 is a gastronomic gala taking place at the LSU AgCenter's Botanical Gardens off of Essen Lane on April 12th.
Pop-up restaurants are now at the pinnacle of trendiness. They've been popular for years in New York and San Francisco. They're getting press in New Orleans in publications like Garden & Gun and Country Roads. An underbelly of food movements, pop-ups seem to have followed a similar model to food trucks as far as being a canvas for a new generation of young culinary minds without the start up costs of brick and mortar restaurants. But what exactly is a pop-up restaurant or dinner? It seems like they are all different, and there's no set formula, but there are certainly some consistencies.
While I didn't get to watch any films at the Sundance Film Festival, nor did I do any skiing on the famous Park City slopes, I did get to attend one event worthy of noting (other than the party at which I cooked). MorningStar Farms ChefDance, a series of celebrity-chef crafted dinners at Sundance, clearly has made a name for itself as the go-to culinary event during the festival. Each night, a different chef takes center-stage to put on a multi-course dinner offering for celebrities, festival attendees, and members of the culinary media. Fortunately for me, I fell into one of those categories! The crowd at ChefDance was huge. I spied the likes of Tony Danza as I found my seat, and after some cocktails from the Snake Oil Cocktail Company and a brief delay, food started to come out of the kitchen. Chef Shawn Armstrong led the brigade to create a stellar menu for the multitude of diners.
It wasn't easy, but Chef Chris Wadsworth from Baton Rouge's Restaurant IPO successfully guided our team through dinner impossible at the Sundance Film Festival. With contributions from Chappapeela Farms (duck, pork belly), Inland Seafood (shrimp, crawfish, oysters, redfish, tasso), and Community Coffee, we arrived in Park City, UT ready to cook up a snow-storm of Louisiana dishes. Chris and I received and invitation to serve as guest chefs for a party being thrown to promote the Louisiana International Film Festival. Before we left, Chris and I made a video about what we were bringing to Sundance:
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'Cue done right
Brian Medlin, owner of Smokin' Aces BBQ on Government Street, knew that opening a barbecue restaurant in Baton Rouge that both locals and travelers would love would be a challenge. However, since opening in October last year, the “shack”-style joint has maintained a loyal customer base.
Bugs & Brew for Drew Crawfish Cook-off and Beer Festival
The Drew Rodrigue Foundation will be hosting the fourth annual Bugs & Brew for Drew Crawfish Cook-off and Beer Festival, which will take place at a new location on the banks of the Mississippi River at River City Plaza at Mardi Gras World in New Orleans on April 20, 2013 from 11:00 a.m–5:00 p.m. Featuring a crawfish competition, Louisiana beer garden, local music, and children's entertainment, this family-friendly festival will benefit the Drew Rodrigue Foundation, a local non-profit which celebrates heroes in the face of adversity, in honor of Drew Rodrigue, a local football coach who battled against cancer.
Take a 'Brake'
Mud and Water's owners have made it a point to feature local beers on tap. And since the downtown bar opened last fall, the Canebrake from the Parish Brewing Company in Broussard has emerged as their No. 1 seller.
Off menu but right on target
Sometimes the best dishes at a restaurant are off the menu, and you often have to scratch your head wondering why. In the case of Le Creolé, that dish is the crab cake ($14).
The Great American Beer Boom
Back in October, many of you will remember that I set out on a craft beer adventure to the Great American Beer Festival in Denver and then on to check out some breweries in San Diego. What might have slipped through the cracks is that I made a stop in Louisiana as well, and that my buddy Tommy Talley of tommysTV came along with me on the journey... with a camera. Here's a story that tells what I found out about the relationship between craft brewers and their wholesalers:
Feast of Fields 2013
Anybody out there interested in a true farm-to-table type of dinner? The Louisiana Feast of Fields 2013 is a gastronomic gala taking place at the LSU AgCenter's Botanical Gardens off of Essen Lane on April 12th.
What is a Pop-Up?
Pop-up restaurants are now at the pinnacle of trendiness. They've been popular for years in New York and San Francisco. They're getting press in New Orleans in publications like Garden & Gun and Country Roads. An underbelly of food movements, pop-ups seem to have followed a similar model to food trucks as far as being a canvas for a new generation of young culinary minds without the start up costs of brick and mortar restaurants. But what exactly is a pop-up restaurant or dinner? It seems like they are all different, and there's no set formula, but there are certainly some consistencies.
ChefDance at Sundance
While I didn't get to watch any films at the Sundance Film Festival, nor did I do any skiing on the famous Park City slopes, I did get to attend one event worthy of noting (other than the party at which I cooked). MorningStar Farms ChefDance, a series of celebrity-chef crafted dinners at Sundance, clearly has made a name for itself as the go-to culinary event during the festival. Each night, a different chef takes center-stage to put on a multi-course dinner offering for celebrities, festival attendees, and members of the culinary media. Fortunately for me, I fell into one of those categories! The crowd at ChefDance was huge. I spied the likes of Tony Danza as I found my seat, and after some cocktails from the Snake Oil Cocktail Company and a brief delay, food started to come out of the kitchen. Chef Shawn Armstrong led the brigade to create a stellar menu for the multitude of diners.
Man in charge
Fleming’s chef partner’s rise to the top
Sundance or bust
It wasn't easy, but Chef Chris Wadsworth from Baton Rouge's Restaurant IPO successfully guided our team through dinner impossible at the Sundance Film Festival. With contributions from Chappapeela Farms (duck, pork belly), Inland Seafood (shrimp, crawfish, oysters, redfish, tasso), and Community Coffee, we arrived in Park City, UT ready to cook up a snow-storm of Louisiana dishes. Chris and I received and invitation to serve as guest chefs for a party being thrown to promote the Louisiana International Film Festival. Before we left, Chris and I made a video about what we were bringing to Sundance: