New Orleans School of Cooking Hands-on Class - A Delicious Experience

Since I really enjoy eating New Orleans creole cuisine, I decided that a hands-on cooking class would be a great way to become better acquainted. I chose a three-hour class at the New Orleans School of Cooking (https://neworleansschoolofcooking.com/) at 524 St. Louis St. in the heart of the French Quarter. It was a good choice.

The class cost $147.34. The price included not only beverages such as wine and beer, but also a New Orleans School of Cooking apron. I made the reservation on TripAdvisor.

The class began at 10:00 a.m., and involved cooking and eating three dishes - andouille sausage and chicken gumbo, shrimp and grits, and Bananas Foster crêpes. The dishes are all relatively simple to prepare at home.

At the beginning of the class, we were provided with copies of the recipes of the dishes we would be preparing.

I chose to drink a red wine during the class. It was a very nice 2016 Trinity Oaks Napa Pinot Noir.

There were nine people in the class. The maximum number per class is ten. Our chef, Matt, was personable, talented, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. He had an undergraduate degree in cooking.

The kitchen contained five induction cooktops. Two students were assigned to each. My partner was a charming young woman from Georgia who had recently graduated from law school.

All of the ingredients were already measured out and waiting on a table to the rear of the cooktop. As soon as we used an ingredient, a staff member swooped up the empty container and took it away. (I wish that would happen when I cook at home.)

Matt started the class by talking about the history of Louisiana cuisine and its peoples. He was very informative. He educated us on the easy-to-understand, essential differences between creole and Cajun cuisine.

Then we began cooking. Matt carefully instructed us on each step and oversaw what we were doing. He quickly corrected any mistakes we were making.

After we finished cooking, we sat down to enjoy the results, which were terrific. Of the six gumbos I tried in New Orleans, I would rate this one the second best – with the best being next door at Chef Emeril Lagasse’s NOLA restaurant.

The only shortcoming was that the recipes did not contain all of the great tips Matt provided. For example, he told us that the color of the roux we were making for the gumbo should be the color of peanut butter. That was very helpful. There were too many such tips to write them while cooking.

I realized late in the day that I had forgotten my complimentary apron. I returned to the school the next day, showed my receipt for the class, and was given an apron – thanks!

The school also has a store with foods, spices, books, cooking instruments, decorations, etc. They will ship items purchased.

I highly recommend this class.

Dr. Gumbo Food Walking Tour, New Orleans – Deeeeelicious!

New Orleans is a food heaven that has so many unique, local dishes that it’s hard to adequately sample them in a couple of days. One great solution is a food tour. On the basis of descriptions and great reviews, I chose a Dr. Gumbo 3-hour Food History Tour for $65.80 on Expedia. The cost included food and gratuities, but not alcoholic beverages, which we could order at different stops during the tour.

It was a great experience. Our tour guide, Lindsay, was superb. She was high energy, and provided a wealth of information.

There were nine people on our tour, including a couple from Australia. I enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone in the group.

We went to seven different food venues – six eateries and a sauce store. We tried a total of eleven dishes, plus a number of spicy sauces. The food venues were chosen because of their unique dishes, and in some cases, because of their history. For example, Tujague’s, a 19^th century bar and restaurant, has the oldest standing bar in the U.S.

The dishes we had were:

Fried pork skins

Boudin balls

Apple & andouille sausage beignets with spiced cream cheese

Traditional praline

Bacon pecan brittle

Muffuletta sandwich

Fried catfish PoBoy sandwich (wild caught catfish)

Creole beef brisket with German horseradish sauce

Seafood gumbos at two different restaurants. (I tried a total of six different gumbos during my trip to New Orleans. Each one was different. They ranged in taste from incredible to edible (play on words).

I enjoyed every dish except the brisket, which I thought was only ok, despite my love of beef.

At the Pepper Palace sauce store where we stopped, we were able to sample a large number of sauces, from very mild to one that was supposedly the fieriest available, and that required a signature before sampling. One member of our group sampled it and affirmed it was as advertised. The fire stayed with him for a while. We were each given a free bottle of sauce.

At each location, Lindsay explained the history and nature of the food we were sampling. She also explained the influences of many different cultures – native American, French, Spanish, African, Italian, German, and Irish on the Creole cooking of New Orleans.

I highly recommend this tour. In fact, I’m getting very hungry writing about it.

Restaurant R'evolution, New Orleans - "Imaginative Reinterpretations of Creole Cuisine"

At Restaurant R’evolution (http://www.revolutionnola.com/), award-winning chefs, John Folse and Rick Tramonto offer their "imaginative reinterpretations of classic Creole cuisine.” They do a superb job. I loved the dinner I had there. The restaurant is located at 777 Bienville St. in the French Quarter.

I started with a terrific appetizer of four beer-battered beignets, each with a different remoulade - saffron, salsa verde, red pepper, English white, and a small side vegetable mix for $16.

My main course was Seared Sea Scallops with foie gras over truffle white bean puree, bacon vinaigrette, with celery salad. The scallops were very large, and the celery salad was small. The dish was very tasty, but not incredible. The price was $43.

The wine I chose was a glass of 2016 Valveran Sonoma County Zinfandel for $12. It was very nice and the pour was generous.

For dessert, I had Creole cheese bread pudding crème brûlée with blueberries and lemon almond crunch for $13. It was great.

For my dessert drink, I asked my server if the bartender could modify their R'ev Nog dessert drink, and replace the Crème de Menthe with Calvados.  She agreed to my request. The other ingredients in the drink were Caneland red stick rum, Simple syrup, egg white, and cream. The modified drink was delicious and cost $14, the same as the version with Crème de Menthe.

I sat at a high top table in the bar area because the restaurant was full.

The atmosphere was very nice; and Alex, my server, was knowledgeable, professional, and friendly.

The atmosphere was very pleasant. It is justifiably on the pricey side. Reservations are essential.

Café Fleur-de-Lis, New Orleans - A Great Breakfast Spot

Café Fleur-de-lis (http://www.cafefleurdelis.com/) at 307 Chartres St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans is a great spot for breakfast or lunch. I ate breakfast there twice, and loved both meals.

The first time, I had Seafood Benedict with Crab & Crawfish cakes and poached eggs over biscuit with a slightly spicy hollandaise sauce, tomato, and plain grits. The café also offered cheese grits or hash browns with this dish. It was really, really good. The cost was $14. The regular coffee, for $3.25, was nice.

Ron, the server, was excellent. Even, though there was a wait for a table, I never felt rushed.

The second time,  I enjoyed Eggs Benedict - poached eggs over Canadian bacon, and toasted muffin, with a slightly spicy hollandaise sauce, and a side of grits for $11.

This time I had a fantastic Cappucino for $4.50. (I wished I'd ordered that the first time.)

The server the second time was Lauren, who was also very nice.  (I did make the mistake of accepting a table next to the front door, so I got a small blast of cold air every time someone walked in.)

The first time, I used a Yelp app to get on their wait list, so by the time I walked over from my hotel, my table was waiting. I did hear the host say that the wait can be up to an hour. The second time, the Yelp app showed there was no wait - probably because it was later in the breakfast window.)

(Locals pronounce the street name "Charter.")

Maison Dupuy Hotel, French Quarter, New Orleans

I recently spent four nights at the Maison Dupuy hotel (http://www.maisondupuy.com/) at 1001 Toulouse St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans. I chose the hotel because of a combination of location, reputation, and price. My bottom line is that I was happy with my choice, and would stay there again.

It is in a quiet residential area just two blocks north of raucous Bourbon St., and is in easy walking distance of most French Quarter places of interest.

My king-size room was spacious, comfortable, and well-maintained by the cleaning staff. The two shortcomings were that I had to ask for a TV remote, and neither I nor a member of the staff could get the safe to work.

Dawn and Ray, the two concierges I dealt with during my stay, were terrific. They were very knowledgeable, friendly, and extremely helpful.

Check-in time was not until 4 p.m., and I arrived about 10 a.m., so I left my luggage with the valet and went sightseeing. Just after 3 p.m., the front desk phoned to inform me that my room was ready.

My average cost per night, including taxes, but not including breakfast, was $161. I made my arrangements through Expedia.

I ate at the hotel’s Bistreaux restaurant four times – three times for breakfast, and once for dinner. At breakfast, I just had croissants, which were fine, and coffee. For dinner, I had a cup of chicken and andouille sausage gumbo for $5, two crab cakes over fried green tomato with a creole remoulade for $16, and a glass of Scotto Family Old Vine Zinfandel $8. The food and wine were good, but did not compare to what I had at other restaurants in town. While most of them were more expensive, the breakfast at the Café Fleur-de-lis was in the same price range, but out of this world. Servers at the Bistreaux were not high energy. Servers everywhere else were better.

Curry Up King - Tasty German Street Food in Sarasota

Since I love sausages of all kinds, particularly German, I was delighted to learn about Curry Up King, which specializes in German street food.

Yesterday, a friend and I enjoyed a very nice lunch of their Berlin Curry Wurst. The sausage is bratwurst that is steamed, then fried, then sliced, and covered with the sauce,. The sauce is house-made with ketchup. curry powder, and paprika. They offer mild, medium, and spicy versions of the sauce. We chose the medium spiced version.

My friend had a side of fries and I had a side of German potato salad. A crispy roll was supposed to come with each dish. We did not get a roll and did not realize at the time that the roll was supposed to be part of the serving.  

The cost is $7 without a side and $10 with. 

I had a St. Pauli Girl German beer for $5.50.

According to their menu, Curry wurst was created by a Berlin woman in 1949, after she obtained curry powder and ketchup from British soldiers. She began selling it from a street stand, where it became extremely popular.

Among the other dishes they offer are:
- Nürnberger Bratwurst
- Schnitzel Sandwich
- Weisswurst and Bavarian pretzel
- Frankfurter Würstchen
- House-made apple strudel
- Two veggie dishes

You can find more details about these dishes at: https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticGermanStreetfood/menu/ 

Sides include french fries, German potato salad, sauerkraut, red cabbage, raw or spicy onions, and Bavarian pretzel.

They get their wurst from a German butcher in Ft. Myers.

The owner is from Berlin and the gentleman who served us is from Stuttgart.

The restaurant only has a few chairs inside and five or so shaded tables outside.

Food can be ordered to go.

You can find a $5 off $25 coupon at https://www.facebook.com/AuthenticGermanStreetfood/photos/p.278301696145535/278301696145535/?type=1&theater

The restaurant is located in Sarasota Commons mall at 935 N. Beneva Rd. in the upper left corner of the mall. Instead of the name on the outside, look for the word, "FOOD" in very large letters and "German "Street" in smaller letters. (Sarasota Commons is just north of Fruitville, and has a Post Office and a Publix.

My friend and I intend to return.

Great Crêperie in Montmartre - Sur la Route de Plouescat

On a recent trip to Paris, friends and I enjoyed incredible crêpes at Sur la Route de Plouescat (http://surlaroutedeplouescat.fr/en), a small crêperie in Montmartre. While there are lots of eateries near the Sacré-Coeur Basilica, this one is located at 4 Rue Lamarck, in a residential area to the right of the basilica where most tourists don't go.

The crêperie has an extensive crêpe menu with at least seventeen main-course, gluten-free, buckwheat crêpes and thirteen dessert wheat flour crêpes. In French, the buckwheat crêpes are known as galettes de sarrasin and the wheat flour crêpes as crêpes de froment. The galettes are originally from Upper Brittany and the crêpes – from Lower Brittany. (The name of the restaurant means, “On the Route to Plouescat.” Plouescat is a seaside resort town in Brittany.)

I had a crêpe complète (fried egg, ham, and cheese) plus onions for €8.80 ($10.30) and a glass of rosé from Provence for €4 ($4.68). My crêpe was fantastic and filling. 

The service was friendly and efficient.

The crêperie is fairly small. We found seats when we arrived around noon, but it quickly filled up. 

You can find pictures of the crêpes and reviews on TripAdvisor.