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Hey kids, I don't do this often; in fact, this is the first time, but a friend of mine has a request that I thought I'd pass along. My friend Eddie is one of the kindest, best guys I've ever met. His cousin Jeremy was in an accident recently, and is at University Hospital. He needs blood, and soon. If you can donate, you'll need this information:
Jeremy Pons - 2/20/79
900 O'Dwyer St
Jefferson, LA 70121
University Hospital
New Orleans
Thanks.
Today is Mardi Gras, and the majority of New Orleans will be celebrating. Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," is the last day before the penitential 40 days of Lent. Starting tomorrow, many Catholic New Orleanians will give up meat and/or other pleasures of the flesh until Easter. Today, then, is a blow-out that winds up the celebration we started about two weeks ago.
Of course, this year the Saints won the Superbowl. The victory over the Colts has some folks calling this year's Carnival, "Lombardigras." Not me, because while the Saints' victory was incredible, it's no reason to change the name of a celebration we've held here for hundreds of years. "Lombardigras" was last Tuesday, when the City hosted what was likely the biggest parade we've ever held to Celebrate the victory.
But the Saints success has put an even bigger jolt into the community. Some of us have been in full celebration mode since the 'Bowl, and are now looking forward to a little rest. I'm not happy that I'm sick with some sort of stomach bug, but I suppose it could have come at a worse time. At least I'm not missing work today.
I am a member of Le Krewe d'Etat, which parades on the Friday before Mardi Gras. This year, as I have for the last several, I danced as a member of the Dictator's Dancin' Dawlins. I leave you with an image taken by my friend Norris Gagnet, early on the route. That's me, waving:
Dictator's Dancin' Dawlins
Happy Mardi Gras, y'all.
What a game. What a night. What an incredible thing to experience after 35 years as a fan of the Saints. I really didn't know how the city would react if we lost. I think we'd have been despondent this morning. I think it would have put something of a damper on Carnival. Happily, I'll never know, because the Saints won the game, and won it handily.
Not to get all football nerd, but on Sunday morning, I watched a show on ESPN called "The Sports Reporters," and one of the "reporters" observed that Gregg Williams was overrated as a defensive coach, because the Saints went from 26th in defense in the NFL in 2008 to 20th in 2009. It was a shallow observation, because most of the yardage we gave up during the year was due to the fact that we had a lead in games, and played "prevent" defense. Also, when our starting cornerbacks were injured during the latter part of the season, our defense suffered. We had our cornerbacks back for the Superbowl, and it showed.
One of my partners, five years my junior, has a framed "Aints" paper bag in his office. It's a beautiful souvenir of a time when the Saints were a terrible team. Even then, we loved them, and even then, we always had hope. "Next year" was the refrain. I think this says it a hell of a lot better than I ever could, and if you haven't read it. Do so now.
I really haven't completely processed the game, and what it means to New Orleans. I have a feeling I'm going to break down at some point and cry like a child. I'm neither proud nor ashamed of it. It's just how things are.
I didn't make it to the Quarter last night. I met some friends at Clever, then another friend at Robert's bar, but everywhere I went last night, people were ecstatic. When I woke up this morning, I asked my son to bring me either horse tranquilizers, or adrenaline, but he didn't come through. Turns out I didn't need either. While I haven't processed it yet, I'm just unbelievably happy.
Tomorrow's parade downtown is going to be insane. I don't expect to be able to leave downtown for quite a while once things get started. And that's ok. It's going to be a catharsis, I think, and we won't be done until Ash Wednesday.
That's ok too. It's New Orleans. And if you understand, then you do. If you don't, I'm terribly sorry for you.
Whodat.
Update: this is New Orleans
You may be aware that the New Orleans Saints are playing in the Superbowl this evening. You may also be aware that I am from New Orleans. You might surmise from these two facts that I am a fan of the New Orleans Saints, and thus interested in the game. You would be correct, and should pat yourself on the back. Actually, feel free to pat yourself wherever you'd prefer.
It's been a long season; longer than any in which the Saints have ever participated. The City is in a fever pitch at the moment, both because of the Saints, and because Carnival is here. As some indication, we had a hotly contested mayoral election here yesterday, and the local media report that only 89,000 citizens cast votes. That's down from 108,000 in the last such election, which was held when the City was still recovering population from Katrina evacuees.
It doesn't make sense for adults to become so emotionally invested in a team of professional athletes, but that is what has happened. Very few people I know locally are not fans of the Saints, and I have heard more grown men admit to tearing up during Jim Henderson's call of the kick that sent the Saints to Miami than deny it.
If the Saints win tonight, the City is going to explode in celebration. No cars will be overturned, and no shops will be set on fire, but the party will otherwise be out of control. It will also last for more than a week, as Fat Tuesday is not until February 16th.
If the Saints lose, I'm not really sure what the City will be like. Subdued, likely, at least until this coming Tuesday, when there will be a parade to honor the team in downtown New Orleans. Win or lose, that's going to be an event to remember.
Whodat.
A couple of items to share this morning. First up, this article in the NYT dining section regarding cooking sous vide at home. The impetus for the story appears to be the release of the SousVide Supreme, which is specifically designed for the home kitchen. At $499, it's pretty expensive, but lots of people have expensive gadgets in their kitchens, and it will probably sell well.
I also received a press release from Custom Choice Cereal, an outfit in North Carolina that will make gluten-free cereal to your specification, with a few different options. You start with three choices for the cereal base, a bunch of different dried fruits, then nuts or shredded coconut. When you add ingredients, the price per bag updates, as does the nutritional information depicted in a bar to the right of the screen. Pretty neat concept, actually. The corn flakes with apricots and almonds I created cost around $5.77 per bag containing around 11 cups of cereal. It may be worth checking out if you're intolerant of gluten.*
*Fucking gluten, can't trust it.
Men, Women, and Mannish Boys take note: the 3rd annual Po Boy Preservation Festival will take place this Sunday, November 22nd, on Oak Street between Carrollton and Eagle Streets.
The festival has been incredibly popular in its first two years, and this year is likely to be similar. The popularity led to some pretty serious crowds, but this year the area that the festival will encompass has been expanded, and a few of the attractions have been moved to the periphery of the show. More importantly from my perspective, there will be a screen set up for the Saints game.
I'll be one of a host of judges this year, and I'm looking forward (foreword) to it. With 40 or so selections, there should be food enough for everybody's taste.
Anyway, it's going to be a good time, and I'm pretty pleased to be taking part. Say "hello" if you see me out there.
Or don't, and feel the steely wrath of my gaze upon your nape. Muah.
Hello semi-imaginary friends! I have written an article that was published as the cover story in Gambit. It came out this morning, and if you are not in New Orleans, you may find it here. Please enjoy.
If you do not enjoy, please accept my apologies. I have been dealing with some troublesome woodland creatures. I think I have things sorted out, but if my body is found scratched and stuffed with acorns, do not believe that it was an accident.
That is all.
Chris Kirkham, of the Times-Picayune has the story. Gist:
After weeks of intense political pressure from Louisiana and Gulf Coast lawmakers, Food and Drug Administration officials announced Friday they will hold off on new rules that would ban the sale of raw, untreated Gulf of Mexico oysters during warm months.
It appears from Kirkham's story and one or two others I've read, that the FDA intends to conduct a feasibility study and assess the potential economic impact of the new rules before trying to implement them again. It's what they should have done in the first place, so it's a result that should make oyster-lovers content.
Thanks to everyone who emailed me with support, and to everyone whose comments swayed the FDA.
A Half Dozen at La Cote Brasserie, New Orleans
You may have read recently that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced plans to ban the sale and consumption of raw oysters from the Gulf of Mexico from April to October because of the risk to consumers of infection by Vibrio vulnificus. Previously, the law required that purveyors of raw oysters post prominent messages which warn people who might be at risk from consuming raw shellfish to avoid them. The change in policy, apparently, stems from this speech, given by Michael R. Taylor, a senior advisor to the Commissioner of the FDA. Or, more accurately, the change in policy was first announced by Mr. Taylor.
I encourage you to read the speech linked above. I further encourage you to find, in that speech, some mention of the number of illnesses and deaths that result from consumption of raw oysters harvested from the Gulf. You will not. What you will find is that the levels of illness and death have not decreased substantially from 2001 to 2008. During that period, the goal was to reduce infection by 60%. Taylor notes that:
Even under the most optimistic analysis, only a 35% decline in rates was reported in these states during this time, but much of this is attributable to the State of California’s decision to ban the sale of all Gulf Coast Oysters harvested during the summer that are not processed post harvest.
So there was a 35% reduction, some percentage of which was due to the fact that Gulf oysters were unavailable in California starting in 2003. I have not been able to quickly find an answer to the question: "when were notice requirements first installed?" I suspect the answer is, sometime in the late 90's or 2000. For the purpose of this post, let's assume that we have, in fact, achieved the best result we can through labeling and notice requirements, and that the only way to further reduce the danger posed by oysters is to require post-harvest treatment.
But let's back up a bit. this article from the Times Picayune contains the following statistic:
The vibrio vulnificus disease, the target of the FDA initiative, affects about 30 individuals per year nationwide who eat raw oysters from Gulf Coast. About half of those who get the disease, which invades the bloodstream and can cause a severe fever and skin lesions, eventually die.
Elsewhere, I have seen the total number of infections at around 40, but with about the same number of deaths per year: 15. However you look at it, that is a high rate of death per infection. Those who are at risk are people with challenged immune systems - people with AIDS, diabetes, or chronic liver disease for example.
Of the millions of raw oysters consumed each year, by everyone in the United States who consumes raw oysters, only 40 or so people develop an infection, and 15 of those people die. To say that is a small percentage is to state the obvious.
You may be wondering, "sure it's a small number, but if we can reduce the number even further; maybe even reduce it to 0, why wouldn't we?" To get an answer to that question, you should conduct a quick "risk/reward" analysis. What is the risk of leaving things the way they are? Answer: 15 deaths per year, assuming we cannot do more to alert those who are at risk to avoid consuming raw oysters. What is the reward? Answer: those of us who enjoy raw oysters can continue do to so. What is the downside to requiring post-harvest processing? The answer there is more complicated.
The oyster industry in the Gulf suggests that it would destroy their businesses, and lead to thousands of lost jobs. Even if you are skeptical about the numbers cited by the industry, a few things are clear. Although Mr. Taylor suggests in the speech linked above that the "capacity to process 100% of the harvest exists," only 15% of Gulf oysters are currently processed by one of the acceptable methods. The industry suggests that the current capacity exists to treat only 10% of the total harvest, but assume that the true number is somewhere in between 100% and 10% Clearly increasing the processing to 100% is going to lead to an increase in the cost. Whether that increase costs thousands of jobs, or some lesser number, I believe it is safe to say there will be jobs lost.
Additionally, those of you who have tasted oysters that have been processed know that the flavor is changed, and not for the better. Thus another "cost" of requiring 100% post-harvest processing is that those of us who enjoy raw oysters will be deprived of that pleasure. It is unclear whether requiring post-harvest processing from April to October will mean that even oysters harvested from November to March will as a practical matter also have to be processed as a result of the cost. It is possible that if the regulations go into affect, no one will be able to consume raw oysters from the Gulf, regardless of the time of harvest.
Again, you may wonder whether incurring those "costs" are worth the chance to save 15 lives. The answer is: no. Before you judge me as some sort of selfish bastard*, please consider that this is a trade-off we make in the United States every single day.
Perhaps the most obvious example is that we allow the sale of alcohol. Alcohol is a poison, and it leads to thousands of deaths every year from cirrhosis and other diseases annually. It is the cause of thousands of deaths due to impaired drivers every year as well. You may have experience with the social toll caused by alcohol abuse, and while I have no numbers for that, I hope you'll agree it's significant? Yet we allow the sale and consumption of alcohol, with similar notices - that pregnant women should avoid excess consumption, for example - as for raw oysters. Why? Because as a society we have decided that the cost of allowing alcohol consumption is worth the reward. The reward being that people like to drink.
A similar case could be made for any number of products that are legal - tobacco for example - or for the way we allow certain products to be designed. Take automobiles. We could dramatically reduce the number of traffic fatalities every year by limiting the ability of vehicles to exceed a certain speed, or by requiring every vehicle to include far more "safe" designs. We don't, for a number of reasons, one of which being that we like fast cars. When the federal government passed the 55 mile per hour speed limit a few decades ago, enough people bitched about it that it was eventually repealed. Not because it didn't reduce traffic deaths (and save some gas), it did, but because as a society we chose to accept the increased number of deaths so that we could continue to drive faster on the interstate system.
These are the big ticket items. There are countless other examples of decisions we have made as a society to trade deaths against rewards as amorphous as "pleasure." And this is a very good example as to why we do it. People have been consuming raw oysters harvested from the Gulf of Mexico for thousands of years. Archaeological evidence from oyster shell berms proves it. While it is true that a certain small percentage of our population is at greater risk from consuming raw oysters, the numbers simply do not justify depriving the population as a whole from enjoying the pleasure of a truly raw oyster. When you consider that the new regulations - which will apparently become law in 2011 - will certainly increase the cost of oysters generally, and likely have an economic impact on the oyster industry in states already reeling from the impact of Katrina and other hurricanes, the proposed regulations simply make no sense.
I understand that my position may seem callous. Some time back when I wrote about oysters, I received an email from a woman who had lost a loved one as a result of the Vibrio vulnificus infection. I do not mean to downplay the very real impact of the disease on her, or anyone else. But we make decisions as a society based on how they impact the population as a whole, and the proposed FDA regulations are simply not justified by the risk/reward analysis.
*I am
In the first part of this little exercise, I wrote about what a restaurant website should be, and about how restaurants should react to scurrilous emails. Here, I'd like to expand on the latter issue, and address how I think restaurants should address social media more generally.
First, the more general issue: do you want to involve yourself at all? That's a question that I can't answer for you. There is a lot to be gained from social media like Facebook and Twitter, and there is some benefit to being active on internet messageboards. But there's an investment of time involved, and not everyone has either the time or the desire to do it properly.
Let me start with the most difficult issue: Messageboards. There are a few out there, but while I don't have access to their usage statistics, the number of posts and posters suggest a fairly limited number of readers.
The Chowhound board is probably the most visited, though it's mainly a place for folks from out of town to get advice. Local food critic Tom Fitzmorris also has a messageboard, and others have been set up by folks who wanted additional options, such as New Orleans Eats, and a few different food-related boards at Mr. Lake's New Orleans Forums. The folks at New Orleans.com** have a food forum, and the venerable (for the internet) website eGullet has a board dedicated to Louisiana.
Because none of the boards have a huge volume of traffic, there is not all that much utility to restaurants in maintaining an active presence. That doesn't mean you shouldn't do it, if it interests you; only that you should do it because it interests you, and not as a part of your marketing strategy. Occasionally a restaurateur will come into an online forum because the restaurant is being criticized. This is not always a good idea, but the worst thing you can do is to misrepresent yourself.
Here is an example of what I'm talking about. I don't know for sure who any of the posters are, but it certainly appears that "fsk13" and "gotham" are the same person, and likely associated with the restaurant being discussed. The reaction from the other posters is pretty typical, and counterproductive from the restaurant's perspective. Rather than answering criticism, they've kept the thread alive, and earned more criticism to boot.
It's probably better to ignore this kind of thing; or better yet, take it as constructive criticism. If there's something on which you can improve, and the criticism alerts you to it, that's pretty much free consulting. Even if the advice is clearly mean-spirited, it may be of value to you.
If you feel that you must respond, do not do so anonymously. Disclose your relationship to the restaurant, whatever it is. Be polite when you respond; go so far as to thank the person for bringing a problem to your attention. You might even consider offering to resolve the problem, if you think it won't cause more headaches.
In the first part of my discussion on this topic, I talked about the difference between a false assertion of fact, and opinion. That was in the context of whether something written about a restaurant might be actionable. The basic concept is that, because opinions cannot be proven true or false, they usually cannot be defamatory or libelous.* There are exceptions, but the distinction is worthwhile to consider in this context as well.
If someone writes on an internet messageboard that your restaurant closes at 8:00, when in fact you close at 11:00, there's something you can do. It's a factually incorrect assertion, and it may be worth your time to correct it. If someone writes that your gumbo is bland and tasteless, you probably can't. At least, not if your gumbo is not bland and tasteless. If the criticism is valid, again, maybe you should change the gumbo. But even if you believe that the opinion being expressed is wrong, there's just not much you can do about it. It's unlikely that arguing with someone who expresses a negative opinion about your restaurant is going to help.
The more likely result is that you'll get into an argument on the internet, and honestly nobody wins in that scenario. Because if you've spent any time on the internet, you know that there are some people who are jackasses, and who derive pleasure from creating controversy. We call them "trolls," and they exist in every public messageboard on the internet. That's not to say that all criticism on those boards is invalid. Quite the contrary, there's a lot of folks on those boards who know what they're talking about, and there are a lot of restaurants that deserve vociferous criticism. My point is that whether you agree with the opinion expressed or not, countering it is generally a bad idea.
So that is my advice for dealing with internet messageboards. The advice with regard to Twitter, Facebook, and the like is similar. It's very simple: if you have the time and the inclination, there's no reason not to sign up for such social media sites. Assuming you're not a complete moron, you'll only increase your visibility. None of these sites, to my knowledge, cost anything. Frequently, they provide useful information for your customers.
What's perhaps more important, letting people connect with you via these websites gives them a sense that they're connected to you. People who are connected to you in some way are generally more likely to visit your restaurant. And that is the single most important reason to do any kind of "advertising." If it puts asses in seats, and it's free, why the holy hell wouldn't you do it?
I won't presume to tell you what to write on twitter, or how often. There's an art to learning how to make effective use of a service that limits you to 140 characters at a time, but there's no one way to do it. Cochon Butcher does a great job of announcing specials via Twitter, for example. Chef Scott Boswell, of Stella! posts a lot of pictures, and talks about what he's doing. You may figure out another way to make Twitter work for you. My advice is that you should try. Oh, and please God don't fucking spam. I don't care who you are, or how much I like your restaurant. If you update 30 times an hour, I'm dropping you like a sack of plague-ridden hamsters.
Facebook is similar, but you have the option of providing even more information, and obviously you're not limited to 140 characters. It is probably better for restaurants than Myspace, which I believe tends toward a younger demographic. Other than that, all of the above advice applies. Don't be an asshole, or a moron, and don't spam.
There's one more topic I want to address briefly, and that is whether you should have a blog. Probably not. Facebook and Twitter are both relatively cheap in terms of a time-investment. Blogs are not. If you have the itch to write, then by all means do it, but most folks don't. Most folks who start a blog end up abandoning it, and that does nobody any good. There are exceptions, the principal one I can think of is Chef Chris DeBarr, whose livejournal is a fantastic glimpse into his creative process, and a great way to find out what's going on at his restaurant, The Green Goddess. I don't think Chris really does it in order to market the restaurant, or at least not only for that, and that's probably why it's so good. Unless you have a similar need to write, I'd advise against blogging.
I think that covers just about all of the things I anticipated when I decided to tackle this topic, but if you have any questions, please do feel free to send me an email. I'm also, of course, on Twitter and Facebook, though if you want me to accept your friend request on the latter, it's probably a good idea to mention something about this website or my other outlets for food writing with the request.
Hopefully this has been of some use to some of you. If not, as always, please feel free to apply for a refund.
*I shouldn't really have to say this, but I don't give legal advice on this website. If you are stupid enough to consider anything I say here as legal advice, or that because of something I've written, you and I have established an attorney-client relationship, then... Well, you're probably not that stupid.
**Corrected thanks to a friend, who pointed out my error in attributing that forum to ABC 26 News.
I don't have much more to add about Cond
In other respects, The New York Times doesn't necessarily have the whole story. Over at Poynter Online, Tony Romenesko has linked to a bunch of stories about the closing over the last few days, including this rather interesting piece at a website called "The Future of Capitalism." That story suggests that Cond
This story as well, by Paul Smalera is a good read, (though beset by spelling and other errors). Smalera's point is that Cond
Jack Shafer's take is to compare Cond
Personally, I am trying not to see something in Gourmet's closure that isn't there. My first reaction was that Gourmet's demise - at the expense of Bon Appetit - is another indication of the "dumbing down" of our food culture. But really, I'm not sure. Although I liked Gourmet, and am sad to see it go, its approach is very much "old-school." Like a lot of other people, it was the first serious food magazine, or food writing of any kind, really, that I read. But gauzy photos of food, and beautiful people in scenic places enjoying that food are not what the kids are after, apparently.
So I don't know whether Gourmet's closing is emblematic of a broader cultural shift. I do know that we probably won't see it replaced any time soon.
Months before the restaurant opened, I had an email exchange with Domenica's executive chef, Alon Shaya, about his expectations for the restaurant. That exchange took place in late May of this year, but clearly plans for the restaurant were already largely in place. The bold text are my questions, and the text in italics are Chef Shaya's responses. I've also uploaded a few pictures I took during a recent lunch at the restaurant.
First and foremost, cooking Italian food has been a passion of mine since I was 16 years old and first started working in Italian restaurants in Philly. I have always had a place in my heart for northern Italian cuisine. I worked at a restaurant in Vegas called Antonio's and learned from some great Italian chefs there. So traveling to Italy this last year was really a dream come true, but just another chapter in my love and passion for Italian food.
Fried Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Goat Cheese
Can you tell me a little bit about the time you spent in Italy?
I spent time working for families who owned small restaurants and salumifici (production of Italian cured meats). Throughout the time I spent there I was able to form great relationships with these families, and they really took me under their wing and taught me so much. On my time off, I would travel to different towns in search of regional dishes that I would study about. Those were some of the most incredible months of my life.
Bresaola with Arugula and Parmesano Reggiano
Did you work at any restaurants that stand out in particular?
I worked at two places in particular that really had an impact on me. One was Ristorante Al Vedel in a town called Vedole. The Bergonzi family has been running the restaurant since the 1700's. They have an incredible salumi shop where they make culatello and other types of cured meats and salami. So I would work in the salumi shop (salumificio) in the mornings, and the ristorante in the evenings. Eddy, the wife of the executive chef, was my mentor and would teach me incredible ways to make desserts and pastas. She would also bring me to her grandmothers house to make pasta by hand with her. Her grandmother was 83 years old.
Tagliatelle with Rabbit Ragu
I also worked at a pizzeria in Parma called il Gabbiano. They made the best pizzas I have ever eaten. Enzo was the chef (pizzaiolo) and was like a big brother to me. He was a genius when it came to dough and we spent endless hours discussing pizza and every aspect of how to make a great one.
Peperonata Pizza at Domenica
Are there any dishes on the menu that you think are unique to Domenica, at least locally?
All of the dishes on the menu reflect my journey through Italy and the Italian food that I have studied and cooked my whole life. I have paid homage to the people and towns that inspired me out there with some of the menu items. So in a way I feel like all the food is unique to New Orleans. I feel like this is the food I've wanted to cook in New Orleans for years, and now this is my first chance to do it here. I feel like its all very soulful food, and I know people in New Orleans can relate to that.
I gather you'll be using both local ingredients, and stuff imported from Italy; are you importing any salumi?
We will be using as many local ingredients as we can get our hands on. Many of the vegetables we will be using come from the same farmers that have been growing for us at Luke, August, La Provence, and Besh Steak for years. We currently have a local farmer growing an entire plot of San Marzano tomatoes for us for our pizza sauce. We also have been making all of the salumi for Domenica from our own raised Berkshire Pigs. A friend named Stuart Gardner is now coordinating local grass fed calves for our veal dishes. There will be some imported items as well like olive oils, flours and vinegars that are done best by the Italians.I will also buy some imported salumi and we will be able to offer our guests a variety. It will be a lot of fun!!
I've been to the restaurant on two occasions; enjoyed both, and I haven't even made it to the entree portion of the menu. Really the only complaint I've had about the food is that I would have preferred the rabbit in the ragu to have been more finely shredded and distributed through the sauce - a matter of taste.
If you haven't checked it out, and you like Italian food, you should pay a visit.
This past Saturday, I visited the Hollygrove Market for the first time, a trip that was long overdue. On Saturday mornings, from 10 to noon, you can show up with a box or really whatever container you'd like, and for $25 you get a wide variety of produce. There are also a number of items that you can purchase a la carte as it were. Here's what I picked up:
Clockwise, from the top left corner: button mushrooms, 2 bunches of holy basil, tomatoes, 2 ears of corn, 2 bunches of arugula, a green bell pepper, 3 pears, 2 pattypan squash, 2 zucchini, "popcorn" rice, and baby limas. There are also a half dozen satsumas mixed in.
The Arugula and basil were $1 and $1.5 each, respectively, bringing the total cost of the produce pictured to $30. Over the weekend I made basil oil, a satsuma juice reduction, pasta with mushrooms and arugula, limas with bacon from Cochon Butcher (which later turned into a lima bean puree), and coconut rice. I've still got some cooking to do this week with what's left.
The market is located at the old Guillot Nursery site, just across Olive street from Carrollton Playground. I believe the plan is to eventually have a retail market, but for the time being, this is a great way to pick up a bunch of produce for a good price, and for a good cause.
To me, Labor Day has always meant grilled cheese:
Grilled Cheese
Either that, or I have more images than time to write at the moment. I will let you be the judge of which is true. That image, incidentally, is from Cuvee, whose grilled cheese special changes daily for your amusement.
I did write a bit over the weekend, and will hopefully update the site a few times over the next week. Among the planned updates: some pictures from my second meal at Domenica, and an "interview" with chef Alon Shaya I conducted some months ago; as well as some additional pictures taken at Cuvee. Try to occupy yourselves gainfully in the interim.
Happy Grilled Cheese Day!
