Happy New Year

This year, as an alternative to French champagne, why not celebrate with a bottle of cava. This bottle of Poema can be found at Cork & Bottle for $10.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with getting a bunch of Mumms.

Performance Review

Last year I set out to do the impossible. My goal: Not to eat in the same restaurant more than once over the entire year. The outcome: Failure... sort of.

I did not repeat a restaurant until August 31, when I joined my co-workers at Tan Dinh for lunch during my first day on the job. That circumstance says a lot about my demise because most of my repeats in the last 4 months were weekday lunches. As you all know, time is of the essence when it comes to your work week midday meal. That's why it's called the "lunch hour." If I had an infinite amount of time and minimal responsibilities, I could have driven to different places and avoided breaking the streak. But I don't.

Regardless of my failure, I still ate at quite a few restaurants over the past 365 days, many more than I would have had The Challenge not been in effect. And even after I broke the streak, I continued to live up to the spirit of The Challenge by at least trying to avoid repeating restaurants for dinner. I stumbled on that goal too, but only twice (i.e., Galatoire's and La Boca for three meals each.) After compiling the list, I realized just how many eateries there are in this city. The sheer number of places that I didn't get to - Herbsaint, Iris, and Cochon to name a few - shows how deep our restaurant roster is. Thank God there's always next year.

I encourage everyone to break outside your comfort zone and eat everywhere you can next year. According to Fr. Tom, there are over 1000 restaurants in the New Orleans area. If we write about a place and it sounds good to you, try it. Same goes for a recommendation from a friend. What do you have to lose? And if you can beat this list over 2010, then my hat goes off to you.

Audubon Golf Club House, Back to the Garden, Baru Bistro, Between the Bread, Bistro at Maison de Ville, Bistro Daisy, Boucherie, Bud's Broiler (City Park Ave), Byblos (Metairie Road), Byblos (Magazine), Café Adelaide, Café Minh, Café Rani, Café Reconcile, Casamento's, Charlie's Seafood, Chateau du Lac, Chicken Sue's, Chinese Tea Garden, Ciro's Cote Sud, Cochon Butcher, Coquette, Coulis, Crabby Jack's, Delachaise, Dong Phuong, Doson's Noodle House, Dough Bowl, Eat, Elizabeth's, Fat Hen Grill, Felipe's, Felix's, Fellini's Café, Franky & Johnny's, Galatoire's, Galley Seafood, Gautreau's, Gordon Biersch, Gott Gourmet Café, Green Goddess, Hana, Hoa Hong 9 Roses, Hoshun, Huevos, Italian Barrel, Juan's Flying Burrito (Carrollton), Juan's Flying Burrito (Magazine), Kanno, Kim Anh's Noodle House, Kim Son, Korea House, Koz's (Lakeview), Kyoto, La Boca, La Cote Brasserie, La Guadalapeno, La Petite Grocery, Lakeview Harbor, Lebanon's Café, Liborio, Lil Dizzy's, Little Tokyo (Causeway), Little Tokyo (Mid-City), Liuzza's By The Track, Lucy's, Luke, Magazine Po-Boy Shop, Mandina's, Martin Wine Cellar, Mat & Nadie's, Maximo's, Middendorf's, MiLa, Mona's Café, Nirvana, Parkway Bakery, Patois, Phil's Grill, Pho Bang (Vets), Pho Orchid, Pho Tau Bay, Pontchartrain Point, Pupuseria La Macarena, R&O's, Rambla, Restaurant August, Rio Mar, Rocky's Pizza, Ruby Slipper Café, Santa Fe, Sara's, Satsuma Café, Semolina Bistro Italia, Shogun, Slice (St. Charles), Slim Goodies, St. James Cheese Company, Stanley!, Stein's Deli, Sukho Thai, Sun Ray Grill (Old Metairie), Sushi Bros., Taco San Miguel, Tan Dinh, Taqueria DF, Taqueria Corona, Taqueria Guerrero Mexico, Taqueria Sanchez, Thanh Thanh, The Court of Two Sisters, The Pelican Club, The Rib Room, The Rum House, The Store, Tommy's, Ugly Dog Saloon, Vega Tapas Café, Venezia (Mid-City), Walker's Southern Style BBQ, Wasabi (West End), Welty's Deli.

There might be a few others that I have forgotten.

2010 will be Rene's year for The Challenge, but the details have not been ironed out just yet. That's because we are waiting on recommendations from you readers on what exactly should be his goal. Suggestions so far have been strong to quite strong:

1. Forgoing all animal byproducts except pork.
2. A month-to-month rotation between the 30 day cleanse and the Atkins diet.
3. Living in the kitchen at Stella! (which includes bathing in the dish sink).
4. A prohibition on tweeting about anything other than food.

There are still 2 days left to send us your suggestions, so get them in by email or in the comments. We'll be back on Monday with the chosen parameters. Until then, have a happy New Year and remember: As long as you keep reading, we'll keep eating.

The Year in Food

And now Ladies, Gentlemen, and Dread Pirate, the over-worked, under-paid scribes of Blackened Out Media L.L.C. present to you the Official 2009 Dining Awards. So everyone please grab a glass of champagne and settle in for the least inspiring half hour of your life. And here is your host, Carrot Top.

As you know 2009 created significant hurdles for those of us in the food writing world. Where despite the claims from others that all food writers have "loads of disposable income", we gotta tell ya times were tough. But we pressed on, dedicated to giving you your daily read.

Meal of the Year

Peter: Lunch at Galatoire's - twice. First, on the day I passed the bar exam. Triple B's baby brother was gracious enough to wait in line for us starting at 6:30; there were already three people ahead of him when he got there. Second, for the annual post-Thanksgiving luncheon with Rene, Legend, The Pope, and the women folk who are so kind to put up with us. This year was my first after a three-time self imposed prohibition due to law school finals. My penalty? Waiting in line for the table.

Rene: A lunch at Andy's Hideaway in St. Barth's. It had everything a lazy, boozy lunch should have: good food, convivial spirit, and loads of wine. Followed by a nap in the sun, it was perfection.

Annoying Trend We Wish Would Disappear

Peter: Serving my steak/lamb/fish/protein-of-choice on top of my starch. I wish this was only a trend, but unfortunately it's been around for quite some time now and shows no sign of disappearing. I ordered steak and mashed potatoes, not steak with mashed potatoes. I take separate bites of my food. Why? Because I happen to enjoy different textures. If I want to smear a bit of grits on my pork tenderloin, then I am perfectly capable of performing such task on my own.

Rene: Every new cocktail having an either long and cryptic name (i.e. Ol Doc McGillicuddy's Fire Alarm) or ending in "-tini." For example, the Ritz-Carlton has a cocktail they created to go along with the stylish trumpeting of Jeremy Davenport. Cashing in on the evocative and longed for martini culture of the Rat Pack, they decided to name this drink the Davenportini. A horrible name for sure; especially when you consider the best name for this drink would have been The Davenport. Simple, direct, classic, sort of British sounding, and elegant. So please, bartenders stop naming drinks as if they belong on a TGI Friday's menu.

Blog Character of the Year

The Folk Singer had this award locked up for most of the year. However, in December things took a treasonous turn for her. If we were still giving out the most disappointing character of the year, she would be a shoe in. As it stands today, she is a shoe out. So by default the award goes to Donnie Boy Riguez. Donnie Boy, your intrepid, inspiring and amusing comments made no one laugh.

Chef of the Year

Peter: Anthony Bourdain. Why? Because I met him, and the man truly loves New Orleans.

Rene: Aaron Burgau of Patois. Burgau has taken the bounty of Louisiana foods and married them harmoniously with a stylish, comfortable neighborhood bistro without the frou frou preaching found elsewhere. Plus, he is a HUGE Saints fan and thus likely a Bud Man.

Best New Restaurant:

Peter: N/A. Everyone knows that you are not supposed to eat in a restaurant unless it has been open for at least 8 years or they purchase an ad on your website/radio show.

Rene: Domenica. For two reasons. First, it represents what we believe is a desire of New Orleans restaurants to be great across the board and not just for "New Orleans Creole cuisine". Regional focused Italian had not yet been done correctly in this town. Secondly, the opening of Domenica coincided with the relaunch of the Roosevelt Hotel. And the food ain't half bad either.

And finally the Jon Gosselin Award for "Failing to Finish What You Started" goes to...

Peter and his Challenge. More on that tomorrow.

Satsumas

After that game yesterday, we all need something sweet to offset the bitter taste of defeat. Instead of another slice of Aunt Gertrude's pecan pie (which I love by the way), why not turn to Louisiana's most delicious citrus fruit: the satsuma. We're at the end of the season for these delicious and easy to peel orbs of goodness, so grab a sack of 'em before they're gone.

And if you're ever out and about in the Bywater and looking for a light lunch, Satsuma Café on Dauphine might be the spot for you. Open Wednesday to Monday from 7am till 3pm, this coffee shop serves short list of sandwiches, salads, and freshly squezed organic juices. While the underlying theme of the menu is fresh produce, I found the sandwiches' soft ciabatta foundation as the most memorable part of the meal. The fillings in the above MTB (mozzarella, tomato, and basil) were top notch, but the bread was the reason I craved more.

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Well, the bread and the fact the sandwiches are quite small, especially for $7. I realize that the ingredients are of the highest quality, but I would rather pay $10 for a bigger sandwich than leave hungry. I think one of my dining companions put it best after finishing his turkey with avocado mash, "Well, that was a nice appetizer."

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Satsuma Cafe - Par

Drinkable Holiday Cheer

You are going to be up early at some point during the next few days. We are told that children wake up and unwrap presents from some fat guy who snuck into your house the previous night. So not only do you have to wake up early, but it is likely you need to file a police report and fix a broken window.

If that is the case, you might as well poor yourself a drink. Now, if you have had a few too many the night before, let me caution you away from the Bloody Mary/Screwdriver route. Those cocktails, while restorative at times, have more acid in them than a Phish fan. Instead lets go for something soothing and cooling more in line with Mylanta than a Mimosa.

Chocolate Milk Punch

1.5 ounces of Vodka or Rum
3 ounces of Half-n-Half
2 tablespoons of Powdered Sugar
A generous helping of either chocolate syrup or sweetened cocoa powder
A smidgen of vanilla extract

Combine the liquor, half-n-half, powdered sugar, vanilla, and chocolate of your choosing in a cocktail shaker of crushed ice. Now, I would never advocate hitting a cocktail, but I will shake the shit out of it. And you should as well. Strain into a Mason jar? Why a Mason jar? Because it is what the cool kids are doing.

Shave some chocolate over the top for added effect.

This ratio will also work for brandy or bourbon milk punch, just omit the chocolate and grate nutmeg over the top.

Have a very Merry Christmas, you heathens.

The Pelican Club

Christmas connotes different traditions for everyone. For the last several years, the season has marked my annual visit to The Pelican Club for their Reveillon Dinner. There is just something about the stroll down Exchange Alley on a cold night, then ducking into this well hidden (but expansive) restaurant with walls adorned with paintings borrowed from Michalopoulos next door. When making reservations, I suggest you request the main dining room fronting Bienville, lest you get seated in the middle room at a banquette cramped between two tables of obnoxious law students who preface every comment with, "Well, in law school...."

But that's another post for another time.

The meal starts with a potage of your choice, and I am sad to say that my turtle soup was pitifully bland. Thankfully this was the only disappointing course of the night. The Folk Singer, who opted for a la carte service instead of the full blown Reveillon menu, began her dinner with crab and cauliflower ravioli in a mushroom and green peppercorn cream sauce. She defended her plate as if it were the Alamo, but the minuscule bite that I stole was still enough evidence for me to affirm her selfishness. My second course was the above pictured quail over stilton grits and ladled with a sautte of shitakes and foie gras in marsala wine. The flavor of the cheese was not prominent in the grits, but this misstep quickly faded into the background once I sampled the tender bird coupled with the slightly sweet and rich sauce.

A quick sidenote before we move on: I was borderline angry that the goat cheese salad was absent from the menu on our visit. The creamy olive oil dressing which coats those greens is downright addictive. I hope it makes a return appearance next year. Moving on.

For the main event, TFS had the seared tuna salad. Out of place? Perhaps. But unmistakably delicious, due in no small part to the sashimi grade tuna which was better than what I have eaten in any sushi bar over the past year. For me, the Trio of Duckling, which looking back now is a surprise because the online menu lists the Duck Two Ways. No matter. The trifecta de canard included a pan seared breast, confit of leg quarter, and BBQ duck in the style of Texas BBQ beef. In order of goodness I would rank the confit first, followed by the breast, and then the BBQ duck, whose flavor was lost in the overpowering tomato base of the sauce.

Dessert was an exquisite white and dark chocolate bread pudding with Makers Mark eggnog sauce.

The Pelican Club is probably the most forgotten restaurant in the French Quarter. You can conduct your own experiment by telling someone that you are going there for dinner, and I can almost guarantee that the response will be, "Oh, I love The Pelican Club. But I have not been there in years, and we never think to go there."

Here is your reminder.

The Pelican Club - Birdie.

Kitchen Essentials

The Waiter's Key (also called Waiter's Corkscrew)

To some people the process of opening a bottle of wine causes anxiety that only Xanax can cure. They worry if the cork will fall in, if bits of the cork will become lodged in the neck, if the foil will cut them to shreds. So what do they do? Why they go out and buy all manner of openers and devices to make opening wine a cinch.

The device manufacturers know you will pay good money for almost anything, so they make useless crap for you to buy in hopes of solving your problems (see also, pharmaceutical companies). These devices sometimes resemble medieval gallows with a faux wrought iron neck holding a bottle clamp and a lever to pull out wine in one fell swoop. Or they use quick bursts of high-powered gas to dislodge, disarm, and debilitate the cork before the cork has a chance to fight back. Or they are named "The Rabbit" and come in a shiny silver and black finish. I believe there is another company that makes a product called "The Rabbit," and it is not used for opening wine.

I don't know about you, but none of those sound like an attractive option.

All you need is a Waiter's Key. The Waiter's Key does not cost a fortune. The Waiter's Key will not taunt or frustrate you. The Waiter's Key does not require you to borrow carbon credits or blast gaseous fumes into your beloved wines. Most importantly The Waiter's Key will not seduce your wife. It will just open wine perfectly every time. You can even use it to open beer.

Look it even has a knife on it. You can use this knife to cut the foil off to gain access to the cork or to stab marauding bands of would-be intruders. But sometimes the best way to get the foil off is just to grab it with your hand by the collar and pull it off the bottle. It should come right off.

Now what you do is place the screw in the center of the cork and begin turning. When the screw is about 90 percent in, stop. Now you see how there are two ledges on the silver lever. The one closest to the fulcrum (or better yet the ledge over the purple book in image below) is the one you want to use first. So place it on the bottle's edge. Pull up on the handle of the key. When you can't pull anymore, switch to the lower ledge, pull some more, and watch as the cork pops right out.


And hey while you are busy, check out Peter's 15 words of fame in the Times Pic today.

Gut Check

Yes, it's true. 14-0 is better than 13-1. But don't forget about where we came from and where we're still going. We're still #1 in the NFC, still in the lead for homefield advantage throughout the playoffs, and still in control of our own destiny to Miami. And thanks to a Vikings loss, we have not lost any ground. So instead of getting down on ourselves about Saturday, let's take a step back and remember how good it is to be a Saints fan right now.

Sometimes when you're flying so high, that bump in the road seems more like a Lakeview-sized pothole. You're just cruising along, and then all of a sudden you feel the crash and wonder if the wheels have come off entirely. After a sub-par (or "bogey" in Blackened Out lingo) meal, I often feel the same way. Just one bad meal can somehow instantly wash away the recent memories of all the good ones. But here's the thing: If it were not for a few failures along the way, the win(ner)s would not mean as much.

So today, let's get back to the basics. French bread, hot sausage, a light smear of mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. All it takes is a trip to Magazine Street Po-Boy Shop, 6 George Washingtons, and one big bite to make you feel better. It's not the best in the world; it's not the worst in the world. But I think it's just we need right now.

Magazine Street Po-Boy Shop - Par

Holiday Gift Guide

You already knew this but sometimes we take the easy way out on Fridays. But you can't spell cliche without Blackened Out.

The holidays have arrived and we know your shopping is as far behind as Rickey Jackson's child support payments. But that shouldn't stop you from being in the Gift Giving Hall of Fame this year. So as always, just follow our instructions. (Yes, Peter I know no one reads us, ok?)

Nothing says I heart you quite like a huge package of meat. In Roman times, men would propose to women by delivering them a freshly dressed steer. During the Renaissance this tradition flourished as courtiers would name calves after their daughters. They would then give the calf to the king in hopes that the king would return the favor with an effeminate son for the courtier's daughter. This year give the gift of meat to your loved ones with a gift box from LoneStar Foodservice. I have given the meat from LoneStar a thorough grilling (pun intended) and have had nothing but positive results.

In Victorian Scotland, during the holiday time, reading was encouraged. In fact, if a person did not have a book in hand at all times, they would be punished three sous. For true. Face it, you have a few days off from work, it is a little bit cold outside, curling up with a good book sounds like a terrific idea. Follow the rules.

This past year, three excellent cookbooks came out, all with ties to New Orleans. They share a similar story. That is the chefs who wrote them, have a deep history and understanding that good food comes from a specific place. Be it an uncle's boudin, granny's gumbo, or a neighbor's bread pudding, the connection between food, place, and memories is a strong one explored in each book.

The first is Donald Link's Real Cajun. You can order it here, or find it just about anywhere in the city. But your best bet, may be to head to Cochon Butcher and pick up an autographed copy. Or just ask the friendly gurus of sausage to have Chef Link autograph a copy to the object of your gratitude. While there you could also pick up one of their holiday gift baskets for your non-vegan, cool friends. As for your vegan friends, well they have mustards and stuff too.

Another good book would be John Besh's My New Orleans. This cookbook, while not as daunting as The French Laundry, would be better suited for your more ambitious home cooking friends. But even if you give it to someone who has never boiled water, the cheerful tone of the book and its brilliant story telling would be at home on anyone's nightstand or coffee table. You can also pick up a copy in town at any Besh Restaurant.

David Gaus, a relative of the Dread Pirate, recently released DamGood Sweet. DamGood Sweet is a collection of confectionery love letters to New Orleans from the native who now lives in DC. His book shows how snowball filled summers and pecan pies provide him with constant inspiration. I would encourage you to buy all these books in your local bookshop.

St. James has a pretty kick ass selection of cheese, charcuterie, and wine baskets. In fact, I wish someone would give me one of these instead of that bag of coal. I see it as the perfect Christmas present because it forces the recipient(s) to sit down, pour themselves a glass of wine, eat, talk, and spoil themselves for a few minutes during the busy holiday season.

If your foodie friend has all the above, let me give you another great idea. Go to a cookware store and buy a bunch of wooden spoons, some metal tongs, a soup ladle, a few metal serving spoons, and a metal spatula. Put a bow on them and call it the best gift of the year. A cook can always use more of those.

Have a happy holidays and a great lunch.

Management

Jersey Shore Supper Club Part II

No one is sad to see the wet blanket leave. So in honor of her departure, the team at Blackened Out has created a special pasta in her honor. Drum roll please.

Angelina Hair Pasta

Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to boil. Add Angel Hair pasta and cook to al dente. While water is coming to boil, begin sauce.

Heat your largest frying pan slowly. Add a 4 second glug of olive oil. When the oil shimmers like JWOWW in the sun, add a good pinch of red pepper flakes, some diced onion. Add salt and pepper. Let the onion cook down for about 5 minutes. Then add a can of whole San Marzano tomatoes (juice and all) and some crushed garlic. Let this simmer, all the while breaking up the tomatoes with the back of your wooden spoon. Taste, adjust seasoning. In tomato sauces add something with sweetness to tone down the acidity. My favorite thing to add is a teeny, tiny bit of vanilla extract.

When pasta is done, drain, and place in pan with sauce. Cook for another 2 minutes. Make sure pasta is well coated in sauce. Plate. Top with grated Romano.

As always, chase with a Michelob Ultra.

It's Wednesday

And you know what that means. No? You don't?

Wednesday is veal neck raviolo day at Lüke. "Raviolo" is a deceptive name for this pile of succulent shreds of veal overflowing between two sheets of freshly made pasta. The dish is much more substantial than the name implies. The sauce is a melange of textures and flavors: acidity from the tomatoes, sweetness from the currants, and crunch from the slivers of almonds. Throw in the rich and salty shavings of parmigiano, and you have a complex dish still reminiscent of home cooking.

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You can order the veal neck raviolo as part of Luke's Express Lunch, which is the best $15 that you will spend on food this week. This two course menu starts with a cup of your choice of soup. I prefer the above pictured matzo ball with roasted chicken, but seafood gumbo and corn and crab bisque are also available. Also, it must be noted that the Express Dinner is the same as the lunch, plus a dessert for only $23.

I have tried three of the daily specials at Luke, and not one of them left me disappointed. But which one is the best? Is it the cassoulet? (Rene's choice. It's tough to beat a dish which combines duck confit, bacon, and garlic sausage.) How about the brisket? Or the blanquette of veal cheeks? This sounds like a debate worthy of a daily poll, so look to the left and choose your favorite daily special at Luke.

Of course, if you choose "none of the above," there's always the buster crab "BLT" to fall back on.

Luke - Birdie

Kitchen Essentials

Tailgating

As a friend of the blog noted recently, "Saturday night's Saints game is going to be wild...it is the only game where people do not have to go to work the next day. People are going to be real drunk."

If you are going to cook, you might as well learn how to do it outside of the confines of your kitchen. Cooking in an outdoor environment presents a unique set of challenges. Why if you want to win Top Chef, it is almost a guarantee you will need to cook Alaskan Halibut in Times Square using a Fry Daddy.

You are going to need a grill. Any model will do, but it is probably easier to use a gas grill for tailgate applications. You want a metal spatula and a few rags. A cooler filled with water so you can clean up your gear and paws wouldn't hurt either.

For food-you could grill sausages, burgers, and tube steak and have a perfectly fine time. But for tailgates, I like to keep it simple and do as much work ahead of time. Plus, giving people something unexpected is as nice as a 13-0 start. So here is what I recommend.

Make a meatloaf the night before, use ya momma's recipe. After it cooks, let it cool and then cut it into individual portions. Bring those out to the tailgate. You can serve them cold, or sear them off just like you would if it was a burger. Let's be honest this is a burger that requires less cooking on site. Get some nice grill marks on each flat side, place in between two slices of bread, slathered with Blue Plate mayo, you will have people nodding dey heads like whoa. If you add some ketchup and hot sauce to that mayo, more power to you.

Or another crowd pleasing option is wings. Wings are cheap and can be eaten with God's utensils. To give the wings added flavor, toss them in a coating of Crystal and salt, let them sit in the fridge overnight. Grill them and serve as is. If you have blue cheese dressing that would be good for the wings or any vegetarians who may co-habitat with you.

Saturday night is going to be a wonderful night for the City of New Orleans. What are you cooking? Maybe we should have a Blackened Out and Gold Tailgate Cook-off this weekend? Winning team gets a cookbook?

Tell us where you are tailgating, and we will pay you a visit. Who Dat!