It's New Orleans: Louisiana Eats

Have you ever noticed how many family business center around food

Michel

On this week's Louisiana Eats , we visit the Greek Isles without ever leaving the bayou. Holy Trinity Cathedral on Bayou St. John in New Orleans is home to the oldest Greek Orthodox community in North America. For over 150 years, this tight knit community has combined food and faith in the traditional way of their ancient ancestors. For 42 years, Trinity members have welcomed thousands of visitors to their annual Greek Festival. Months before the celebration begins, volunteers meet weekly, preparing huge amounts of sweet and savory dishes served during the festival. We visited the kitchens during one of their prep days and learned all about the people, their recipes and their delicious way of life.

Author, Andrew Lawler, sits down with us on this week's Louisiana Eats to discuss Why The Chicken Crossed The World, which is also the title of his new book. You'll be amazed by the many ways that simple bird has impacted humanity over the ages. Even

This episode of Louisiana Eats examines African American culinary life and culture in slavery times and today. Historic New Orleans Collection curator Erin Greenwald gives us a private tour of Purchased Lives New Orleans and the Domestic Slave Trade, 1808 1865, an exhibit that examines the domestic slave trade in America. Solomon Northup, the free man of color who wrote the memoir "Twelve Years A Slave" comes to life with some amazing documents that shed light on his true story. Then, food activist and author, Bryant Terry discusses the inspiration behind his new book, "Afro Vegan Farm Fresh African, Caribbean, and Southern Flavors Remixed." Bryant draws from soul food and others from the African Diaspora, interpreting them in new, fresh and healthy ways.

To celebrate Jazz Fest, we re taking you back to 2013, where we learned how these fabulous performers get fed. Life on the road might be difficult for traveling musicians and their crews, but the perks of this lifestyle are almost impossible to replicate. Chef Anne Churchill spends her summers traveling as a cook for one of rock s most popular touring bands and has the stories to prove it. She joins us on

On this week s Louisiana Eats , we take a virtual trip to Paris. Our first stop is a rendezvous with New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu at the St. Roch Market a place where charcuterie, crepes and cheeses are served much like in a Parisian march

On this week's Louisiana Eats, we're remembering the devastation of the BP oil spill, which took place five years ago this week. Six weeks after the spill, we produced our very first episode of Louisiana Eats, and there was no way we could ignore the disaster that was unfolding in the Gulf. We interviewed Chef Frank Brigtsen on that first show, who shared some very personal thoughts on what the spill might mean for his friends in the Louisiana seafood industry, for his own business Brigtsen's Restaurant and for him personally as a chef and Louisiana native. Chef Frank returns this week with the good news of the recovery he has personally observed. He also talks about the new dishes he created when Gulf seafood was scarce that continue to inform his menu today. Next, we hear seafood specialist Dr. Jon Bell's speculations about the future of the Louisiana oysters in 2010. Then, Rusty Gaude of LSU's Louisiana Sea Grant program brings us up to date on the reality of the Gulf fisheries and the innovations and new

Big news on this week's Louisiana Eats We move into our new studios, located in the Southern Food and Beverage Museum in New Orleans' Central City. SoFAB, as the museum is affectionately called, is a nonprofit living history organization dedicated to the discovery, understanding and celebration of the food, drink and related culture of the South. At SoFAB, all of the cultures that are part of the South's unique culinary heritage come together, bringing all races and ethnicities to the table to tell the tale from the farmer and the homemaker, to the line cook and the celebrity chef exactly what we strive to do every week on Louisiana Eats SoFAB founder Liz Williams gives a tour of the museum's exhibits, including a newly installed one, dedicated to the 90 year old

Getting together with family and friends is something Louisianians do best and in springtime, the weather s just right for barbecues and crawfish boils. This week on Louisiana Eats we re going around the state to investigate two primary foods that feed the masses this time of year. Sam Irwin grew up in crawfish country, so his fascination with our state s freshwater crustacean seems natural. Sam s the first of many guests to discuss the crawfish, as well as Chris Jay and Scott Gold, who join the conversation with their own advice about the mudbug. Then we ll turn to members of the Southern Foodways Alliance for some insights into barbecue. Chef Drew Robinson talks about running a barbecue joint with over 30 locations, and John T. Edge discusses the peace making capabilities of a great smoked pig. CRAWFISH BISQUE Serves 8 Yields 3 quarts 4 lbs. boiled crawfish 3 lbs. crawfish tail meat Stuffing 1 4 cup flour for roux 4 T oil 1 2 lg. onion finely chopped 1 2 lg. bell pepper finely chopped 1 stalk celery finely

When Owen Brennan opened the Vieux Carre restaurant in 1946, he created a Louisiana

What's sweeter than honey Sugar Or is it the other way around On this week s Louisiana Eats , we try to answer that question as we examine the sweetest things from Louisiana, California and across the world. At over 100 years old, the Domino Sugar Refinery in Arabi, Louisiana is not only one of the country s oldest sugar refineries, it s also the largest in the western hemisphere. Every day, the installation processes millions of pounds of raw sugar, turning it into those white crystals you find at your grocery store. Fred Goodrow, head of environmental and quality control at the refinery, gives Poppy a tour of the facility, and shows her why making sugar is such a sweet job. Then we head to Youngsville, Louisiana, to visit Charles Poirier, owner and operator of Poirier's Pure Cane Syrup. To make his cane syrup, which is highly regarded by chefs throughout the U.S., Charles has revived the process farmers used centuries ago.

This week, we are headed straight to the living room. But we don't mean the living room in your house; we're talking about the nearest Irish Pub In honor of St. Patrick's Day, Louisiana Eats is exploring all things Irish. Tulane History Professor and author of the new book The Irish in New Orleans, Laura Kelley gives us a history of Irish immigrants in the Crescent City and how they influenced Louisiana culture in some unexpected ways. Irish immigrants and owners of Finn McCool's, Pauline and Stephen Patterson discuss the process of building a traditional Irish Pub from the ground up, and why the pub is such an essential part of Irish culture. Nell Boyle, owner of Henry's Uptown Bar, talks about owning and operating a bar that has been in her family for four generations, and why marrying an Irish gypsy isn't such a bad idea. If you wanted to put something in your stomach before you start drinking this St. Patrick's Day, perhaps you should consider the Full Irish breakfast. Scott Gold describes his discovery a

Using food as a way to understand the world is something your parents probably never studied in college, but it's has become a popular discipline in the past decade. Each year, professor Meryl Rosofsky brings students from NYU's food studies program to New Orleans for a week long cultural immersion. We join them at Dooky Chase to hear if their preconceptions of New Orleans are being shed. We'll also visit the Steamboat Warehouse in St. Landry Parish, talk quail eggs, take a cooking class with Kyan Douglas, and make leftovers with Scott Gold and his enormous jar of kimchi.

It s a common fact of life that there is more to people and things than meets the eye. For example, many people know New Orleans artist Thomas Mann for his jewelry and metal sculptures, but may have been unfamiliar with his interest with food. An accomplished cook and self styled ovo lacto piscean vegetarian, Thomas will get to show off his chops on Food Network s new competitive cooking show "All Star Academy," which premieres Sunday, March 1 at 8 p.m. He gives us the scoop on his network debut and what audiences can expect to tune into. Louisiana Eats roving reporter Jyl Benson is more than just a longtime contributor to our show. She s also a prolific food writer and, most recently, author of a new cookbook "Fun, Funky and Fabulous New Orleans Casual Restaurant Recipes." Along with collaborator Sam Hanna, Jyl discusses how the book came together, both offering an in depth look at their approach to food photography. Also, Chris Boucher, industrial hemp advocate, explains the benefits of Cannabis sativa, the

Mardi Gras may be over, but festivities for the Lunar New Year have just begun On this week s Louisiana Eats , we celebrate the Year of the Goat the way they do in China, with a baijiu toast, coutesy of bajiu enthusiast Derek Sandhaus. Derek explains to us the story behind the ancient Chinese liquor and its recent emergence in the West. Then we ll check in with our roving reporter Ian McNulty about this weekend s Tet Festival at Mary Queen of Vietnam in New Orleans East. Gabriella Gershonson of Every Day With Rachel Ray shows us to host a dim sum brunch, and John Georges, Master Distiller of Angostura Rum, gives us a look at how they ferment, distill and age their famous liquor.

It s Carnival time in Louisiana We ll take you into the secret realm of some of New Orleans oldest Mardi Gras krewes by visiting Antoine s and Tujague s Restaurants. Antoine s fifth generation proprietor Rick Blount gives us a tour of the Rex Room, the Proteus Room, the Twelfth Night Room, and the Hermes Bar. Then, Mark Latter of Tujague s shows us the infamous Krewe d Etat Room, a place of rollicking misbehavior. In sharp contrast to elaborate parades and krewes of New Orleans, Mardi Gras in Cajun Country is altogether different. From Lafayette, Toby Rodriguez and Lucius Fontenot talk to us about the Prairie Mardi Gras traditions that make Acadiana unique. Also, Robin Young, host of NPR s Here and Now, turns the tables on Poppy with an interview about Mardi Gras food. There s more to it than just King Cake Allons au Mardi Gras Baked Beef Brisket Serves 10 12 1 3 4 lb trimmed beef brisket 1 8 oz bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce 1 packet of Lipton Onion Soup Mix 1 liter of Coca cola Mix together the chili sauce, th

On this week s episode of Louisiana Eats sommelier Molly Wismeier and mixologist Adam Seger discuss their involvement inside the wine cellar and behind the bar of Restaurant R evolution. Then, documentarian Ken Burns talks about the era of Prohibition in American history. We ll also take a quick juant to Shreveport for a local delicacy and close out the program with instructions from Rita Held about cooking with an essential cocktail ingredient, Angostura bitters.

In Louisiana, home cooking requires a lot of artisanal skill. Whether it's spending hours in the kitchen laboring over a pastry or hours alongside a black pot perfecting a roux, the Pelican State's best foods are often labors of love. That's what we'll discover as we tour the state for our latest edition of Louisiana Eats In Shreveport we'll meet with Scott Roebuck and Lizz Bowen, owners of Sevendipity, an up and coming restaurant in the Highlands neighborhood. We'll learn how Scott's self taught cooking technique led him to create Louisana's answer to the cronut. We'll also meet dozens of talented chefs at the Blackpot Festival and Cookoff held annually in Lafayette's Acadian Village. This gathering of south Louisiana musicians and cooks draws in more and more attendees each year with its come one, come all hospitality and generosity of spirit. We'll hear how community outweighed all the competition at this year's cook off. And stir your appetite for roux, rice, and gumbo with author Stanley Dry. From North

The LSU AgCenter fosters agricultural, engineering and scientific programs across the state. On this week s Louisiana Eats , Poppy crosses the state to hear how Ag agent Grace Peterson is connecting Shreveport residents with regional food. We also cultivate tomatoes with Bobby Fletcher near the Mississippi River and float downstream with Dr. John Bell to learn how the Louisiana oyster can help rebuild coastal wetlands. We travel from the Gulf of Mexico to Shreveport s urban farms on this week s Louisiana Eats