A press release from Mrs. McCall...
The Young Leadership Council and the Literary Alliance of Greater New Orleans are hosting a special panel discussion on Wednesday, November 5th in conjunction with the YLC's One Book One New Orleans project. This year's novel is City of Refuge by Tom Piazza.
The book tells the story of two very different New Orleans families and their struggles during and after Katrina. The panel discussion will highlight one strong theme throughout the novel – New Orleans' identity through its unique food and beverage. Panel members include Ralph Brennan, Jim Monaghan, Jr. of Molly's at the Market, and Sara Roahen.
The discussion is from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. You do not have to be a member of the YLC or Literary Alliance to attend. Actually, you don't have to have read the novel to enjoy the panel (but it wouldn't hurt). But, space is limited…
For more information visit our website at http://www.onebookoneneworleans.com/.
Look, you are just getting stupider every day that you waste reading this blog. So if you have time tonight, go to SOFAB, listen to real writers, get some knowledge, and then start your own blog.
And another good link from Ben Jamon. I know Peter is very stoked to see the French Laundry on that list.
Showing posts with label Sara Roahen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sara Roahen. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Same Old Story...but a Better Ending
Just finished reading a book by Sara Roahen chronicling her exploration and devotion to the cuisine and culture of New Orleans called "Gumbo Tales: Finding My Place at the New Orleans Table." I really enjoyed this book for the first 9/1oths. Then I got sick to my stomach. The reason for my illness is that this book reminds me of one of the big problems with New Orleans. Allow me to explain.
Mrs. Roahen moves to New Orleans as her then boyfriend now husband begins Med School. They find a little house Uptown, discover Mardi Gras, po-boys, Vietnamese markets, crawfish, and well, New Orleans. She falls in love with it and soon becomes the food writer for Gambit. Her book chronicles her love affair with our city. Things look good, New Orleans will gain another culinary voice, and a young doctor to boot.
And then they depart for Philadelphia (although they still own a house in New Orleans, to be fair). I think we have all heard this story before. "We loved New Orleans, we met in College there, but we moved away to live in Typical American City, USA because of the better schools/jobs/infrastructure." Great thanks for playing, please remember to take your lovely parting gifts: a Cajun Culinary Cornucopia from Creole Delicacies, a Saints Fan/Bud Man bumper sticker, and a now useless crawfish pot.
Not to use Mrs. Roahen as a straw man; but if you love New Orleans so much (and enough to profit on a book about her) than stay. Or at least come back and not just as a visitourist. Maybe just maybe, New Orleans could have better schools/jobs/infrastructure if the bright, fluorescent lights of Atlanta did not draw away our best and brightest from the gas lit lamps of the French Quarter. But then again, maybe not.
That aside Mrs. Roahen's book divides into different chapters based on the food item she explores (po-boys, snowballs, red beans and rice). Sometimes her analogies leave you wondering "huh?" but she knows her topic well. And her ability to describe food makes me hungry.
Gumbo Tales will undoubtedly leave you wondering how you have never had Big Mama's gumbo before or why you don't eat Ya-Ka-Mien. I love a book that gives me a lead on something new that I should have known about all along. New Orleanians take a lot of things for granted about our city, every now and then we need an outsider's freshly brewed cafe-au-lait to remind us how lucky we are to live in New Orleans. So for that, thank you Mrs. Roahen. Now come back. New Orleans needs you.
EDIT: I have been informed that Mrs. Roahen has moved back to New Orleans. And I could not be happier. To be proven wrong is a great feeling sometimes. But the fact remains that story, although Mrs. Roahen's has the happy ending many do not, occurs all to often.
Mrs. Roahen moves to New Orleans as her then boyfriend now husband begins Med School. They find a little house Uptown, discover Mardi Gras, po-boys, Vietnamese markets, crawfish, and well, New Orleans. She falls in love with it and soon becomes the food writer for Gambit. Her book chronicles her love affair with our city. Things look good, New Orleans will gain another culinary voice, and a young doctor to boot.
And then they depart for Philadelphia (although they still own a house in New Orleans, to be fair). I think we have all heard this story before. "We loved New Orleans, we met in College there, but we moved away to live in Typical American City, USA because of the better schools/jobs/infrastructure." Great thanks for playing, please remember to take your lovely parting gifts: a Cajun Culinary Cornucopia from Creole Delicacies, a Saints Fan/Bud Man bumper sticker, and a now useless crawfish pot.
Not to use Mrs. Roahen as a straw man; but if you love New Orleans so much (and enough to profit on a book about her) than stay. Or at least come back and not just as a visitourist. Maybe just maybe, New Orleans could have better schools/jobs/infrastructure if the bright, fluorescent lights of Atlanta did not draw away our best and brightest from the gas lit lamps of the French Quarter. But then again, maybe not.
That aside Mrs. Roahen's book divides into different chapters based on the food item she explores (po-boys, snowballs, red beans and rice). Sometimes her analogies leave you wondering "huh?" but she knows her topic well. And her ability to describe food makes me hungry.
Gumbo Tales will undoubtedly leave you wondering how you have never had Big Mama's gumbo before or why you don't eat Ya-Ka-Mien. I love a book that gives me a lead on something new that I should have known about all along. New Orleanians take a lot of things for granted about our city, every now and then we need an outsider's freshly brewed cafe-au-lait to remind us how lucky we are to live in New Orleans. So for that, thank you Mrs. Roahen. Now come back. New Orleans needs you.
EDIT: I have been informed that Mrs. Roahen has moved back to New Orleans. And I could not be happier. To be proven wrong is a great feeling sometimes. But the fact remains that story, although Mrs. Roahen's has the happy ending many do not, occurs all to often.
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