Stuffed and Lovin' It

And not just from the turkey I ate. Eating is pretty much what I do when visiting family and friends in Louisiana during the holidays. Lest you think I exaggerate, allow me to share my diet since arriving.

Tuesday/Family Dinner with parents and siblings: Boiled Large Shrimp, Fried Turkey, Dressing, Corn Casserole, hot rolls, green beans, cranberry relish, sweet gherkins. Dessert choices: Hummingbird Cake, Date Nut Cake (kissing cousin to fruitcake), peanut blossoms, chocolate chip cookies, cranberry walnut cookies, Russell Stover chocolates, lemon meringue pie, or sweet potato pie.

Wednesday/Breakfast with Family: Homemade Buttermilk Waffles, Pork Sausage, Real Maple Syrup.

Wednesday/Lunch in the French Quarter at the Redfish Grill: appetizers: coconut shrimp, BBQ oysters, alligator sausage. Main course: Baked fish over potatoes and asparagus with a red wine reduction sauce. Dessert: chocolate bread pudding. YUM!

Wednesday/Afternoon Snack at the Blane Kern Mardi Gras World tour: slice of Gambino's King Cake

Wednesday/Early Evening Snack at Cafe Du Monde: an order of Beignets and Cafe au Lait

Wednesday Evening Cocktail at Mom and Dad's: Brandy Alexander

To counterbalance the effects of all this gastric indulgence, I did not go power walking like I should this morning, but I did choose raisin bran over bacon and eggs for breakfast. My willpower didn't last much longer. Yes, I went out to lunch again--canneloni and caesar salad at a new Italian restaurant in my hometown. It was very tasty. I'm already figuring out which sandwich shops have reopened so I can scarf down a muffleta or shrimp po-boy for lunch tomorrow.

So if you ever wondered if Louisianians still love their food as much as they profess to, the answer is a resounding YES. As the saying goes, "The rest of the world may eat to live, but in New Orleans, we live to eat!" That's something Katrina hasn't changed.

posted by Mo H @ 5:11 PM