What's cooking in the South!

Photo credit: Travis Nelson 

Last night, the James Beard Foundation held its annual awards ceremony in New York City. This morning, I woke up to a wonderful piece about one of the winners, Jones Bar-B-Q Diner, on the CBS This Morning. I also logged onto Facebook to find many of my southern friends (mainly the Alabamians) bragging on the winners from their region.

It got me wondering: Is the south still a place where home-cooking matters? Is it dying off more and more as the newer generations want and demand the quickness of "convenience?" Does food still hold the same reverent focal point in family and other gatherings as it once did? Who's making sure to carry on the tradition? Do people still share (or guard) their recipes? I have the question floating out in the email ether to one dear friend from Bessemer, Ala., but I welcome feedback from everyone. What do you think?

In the meantime, here's a list of the southerners who took home awards last night:

BOOK:

ANew Turn in the South: Southern Flavors Reinvented for Your Kitchen

by Hugh Acheson

(Clarkson Potter)

WRITING:

MFK Fisher Distinguished Writing Award

John T. Edge

Saveur

“BBQNation”

And the biggies:

BEST CHEF: SOUTH (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)

Chris Hastings

Hot and Hot Fish Club

Birmingham, AL

BEST CHEF: SOUTHEAST (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Hugh Acheson

Five and Ten

Athens, GA

Linton Hopkins

Restaurant Eugene

Atlanta

AMERICA’S CLASSICS (Presented by The Coca-Cola Company)

Jones Bar-B-Q Diner

219 West Louisiana St., Marianna, AR

Owners: James and Betty Jones

Chicken y Chicken

photo: Drew Coyle

Two round-ups recently of all of NYC's fab fried chicken spots. Time Out NY vs. NY Mag. Which is your fave??

Hotter Than July

photo: roadfood.com

Hot damn hoe here we go again! NYC's got hot chicken y'all:

From Time Out NY:

Nashville hot chicken

Fiery, cayenne-laced fried chicken—usually served with pickles over white bread—is eaten throughout Music City, but its spiritual home is Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. Lore traces the recipe to current owner Andre Jeffries’s great-uncle Thornton Prince. When a spurned lover fed him extra-spicy chicken out of vengeance, he liked it so much that he began cooking it at his restaurant.
Eat it here: Restaurateur Craig Samuel serves a super-crispy version ($12) at Peaches HotHouse (415 Tompkins Ave at Hancock St, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn; 718-483-9111). In addition to seasoning the free-range poultry with garlic, onion powder and cayenne, Samuel uses a secret spice mix that he says contains the “two hottest peppers in the world.”

The week that was...

Bummed that I missed the Big Apple BBQ while flying back to NY from Alabama last weekend. The air surrounding Madison Park was still dripping of smokey pulled pig and tangy sauce well past midnight as I passed by en route to my apartment building upon landing. Happily, GQ recounted the Billy Reid part of the experience on its blog:

This past Saturday, GQ's 2010 New Men's Designer of the Year and grandmaster of tailored Southern cool Billy Reid made a trip north of the Mason-Dixon to throw a down-home porch party at his eponymous label's NY outpost. In support of their participation in the annual Big Apple Bar-b-q Block Party, the Alabama-based designer brought in Birmingham favorite Jim N Nick's Bar-B-Q to roast a whole pig right outside the storefront steps. Deep-South pit meisters and downtown style hounds brushed elbows around neverending trays of ungodly delicious pork tacos and a keg of Jim N Nick's own house brew (suitably named Reverand Mudbone)—all the while trying not to get cole slaw on the shop's impeccable vintage-feel ties and oxfords. It was the perfect salve for a balmy evening—as relaxed and effortlessly charming as you'd expect from a southern gent like Mr. Reid.

— Graham Cumberbatch

YUM!

Thank you Time Out NY:

Pies ’n’ Thighs, the city’s most eagerly awaited Southern-fried grease trap, has kept Williamsburg in Pavlovian limbo since the start of 2008, when its first incarnation—a drunk-food closet at the back of a bar—was shut down to prep for a more spacious and permanent home. Last month, after endless delays, it finally debuted in a former bodega near the Williamsburg Bridge.

The new version, run by the three chefs behind the original—Carolyn Bane, Erika Geldzahler and Sarah Buck, who met working at Diner—is a full-fledged restaurant with prompt, personable waiters and beer and wine service. Still, the place retains the DIY, seat-of-the-pants spirit of the dive that it sprang from, with food specials scrawled on sheets of paper, chairs and tables that might have been salvaged from a public school, and overhead lights so bright, dining there feels like sitting in detention.

The food, not the venue, is clearly the draw. While the down-and-dirty Southern fare—honest, cheap and often delicious—is certainly in line with Brooklyn’s all-American moment, it’s an audacious departure from the borough’s judiciously sourced, seasonally orthodox, self-righteously ethical ethos.

Read more: http://newyork.timeout.com/articles/restaurants-bars/84797/pies-n-thighs-williamsburg-restaurant-review#ixzz0nsfst4ep

TONIGHT IN NYC: FOOD & FAIREY

Shepard Fairey, Fab 5 Freddy and Jeffrey Deitch on Keith Haring

Artist (and SC native) Shepard Fairey discusses the book Keith Haring Journals. Mr. Fairey will sign copies of that book, as well as Art for Obama, E Pluribus Venom and Supply and Demand (no other books or memorabilia). Call the store for details.

Monday May 03, 2010 7:00 PM @ Barnes & Noble Tribeca
97 Warren Street, New York, NY 10007, 212-587-5389

ALSO: Part two of James Beard Foundation Awards.

Some of tonight's nominees and inductees include:

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT DESIGN

For the best restaurant design or renovation in North America since January 1, 2007

Design Firm: Project M
Designer: John Bielenberg
Project: PieLab, Greensboro, AL

M.F.K. FISHER DISTINGUISHED WRITING AWARD

John T. Edge
The Oxford American
“In Through the Back Door”

OUTSTANDING RESTAURANT AWARD

A restaurant in the United States that serves as a national standard-bearer for consistent quality and excellence in food, atmosphere, and service. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 10 or more consecutive years.

Highlands Bar & Grill
Birmingham, AL
Chef/Owner: Frank Stitt
Owner: Pardis Stitt

OUTSTANDING WINE AND SPIRITS PROFESSIONAL AWARD

Presented by Southern Wine & Spirits
A winemaker, brewer, or spirits professional who has had a significant impact on the wine and spirits industry nationwide. Candidates must have been in the profession for at least 5 years.

Julian P. Van Winkle, III
Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery
Louisville, KY

OUTSTANDING WINE SERVICE AWARD

A restaurant that displays and encourages excellence in wine service through a well-presented wine list, a knowledgeable staff, and efforts to educate customers about wine. Candidates must have been in operation for at least 5 years.

Blackberry Farm
Walland, TN
Wine Director: Andy Chabot

RISING STAR CHEF OF THE YEAR AWARD

Presented by Food Network NYC Wine & Food Festival and Food Network South Beach Wine & Food Festival
A chef age 30 or younger who displays an impressive talent and who is likely to have a significant impact on the industry in years to come.

Sue Zemanick
Gautreau’s
New Orleans

BEST CHEFS IN AMERICA

Presented by Visa Signature®
Chefs who have set new or consistent standards of excellence in their respective regions. Each candidate may be employed by any kind of dining establishment and must have been a working chef for at least the past 5 years. The 3 most recent years must have been spent in the region where the chef is presently working.

Cathal Armstrong
Restaurant Eve
Alexandria, VA (VA falls under mid-Atlantic)

Best Chef: South (AL, AR, FL, LA, MS)

Zach Bell
Café Boulud at the Brazilian Court
Palm Beach, FL

Scott Boswell
Stella!
New Orleans

John Harris
Lilette
New Orleans

Christopher Hastings
Hot and Hot Fish Club
Birmingham, AL

Michael Schwartz
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink
Miami

Best Chef: Southeast (GA, KY, NC, SC, TN, WV)

Hugh Acheson
Five and Ten
Athens, GA

Sean Brock
McCrady’s
Charleston, SC

Linton Hopkins
Restaurant Eugene
Atlanta

Andrea Reusing
Lantern
Chapel Hill, NC

Bill Smith
Crook’s Corner
Chapel Hill, NC

Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America Inductees

Leah Chase -Chef/Owner, Dooky Chase Restaurant, New Orleans

Leah Chase has lived in Louisiana her entire life, moving to New Orleans when she was 14 years old. Her first job out of school was at the Oriental Laundry in the French Quarter. A week later, Chase was hired by the Colonial Restaurant on Chartres Street and she has been in the restaurant industry ever since. Chase married a musician whose family owned the Dooky Chase Restaurant. Once her children were old enough to attend school, Chase began to work at the restaurant three days a week. She started out as a hostess, but she was soon redecorating the restaurant and working as its chef. She eventually revamped the menu to reflect her Creole background. After Hurricane Katrina destroyed much of Dooky Chase’s 5th Ward location in 2005, the restaurant community got together to host a benefit in 82-year-old Chase’s honor. The guests raised $40,000, and Dooky Chase reopened in 2007 mostly for take-out food and special events. Chase is also a cooking show host and cookbook author.

Paul C. P. McIlhenny
President and CEO, McIlhenny Company, Avery Island, LA

Paul C. P. McIlhenny is the fourth generation of McIlhennys to produce Tabasco® pepper sauce, an American staple found in countless kitchens and restaurants throughout the United States and abroad. As were his forebears, he is directly involved in overseeing and maintaining the high quality of all products under the 142-year-old Tabasco® brand. McIlhenny grew up in New Orleans and has lived and cooked on Avery Island for more than 40 years. He is an accomplished fish and wild game cook and counts as friends such food-world luminaries as Emeril Lagasse, Jacques Pépin, Ella Brennan, Pierre Franey, Paul Prudhomme, Mimi Sheraton, William Rice, and the late R.W. Apple, Jr. McIlhenny is the co-author of The 125th Anniversary Tabasco® Cookbook and a contributor to Eula Mae’s Cajun Kitchen and Tabasco®: An Illustrated History. He is also a member of the Société des Escargots Orléanais of New Orleans and the New Orleans Chapitre of the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and serves on the Louisiana Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation, as well as on the board of the America's WETLAND Foundation.

Susan Spicer
Chef/Owner, Bayona, New Orleans

Susan Spicer began her cooking career at the Louis XVI Restaurant in New Orleans in 1979. After a four-month stint at the restaurant, Spicer lived in Paris and California, but eventually came back to New Orleans, where she opened Bistro at Maison deVille at the Hotel Maison deVille in 1986. In the spring of 1990, Spicer and Regina Keever opened Bayona in a 200-year-old cottage in the French Quarter. From 1997 to 1999, Spicer owned and operated Spice, Inc, a specialty market with take-out food, cooking classes, and a bakery. In 2000, Spicer and three partners opened Herbsaint, a casual restaurant in the Warehouse district of New Orleans. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including the 1993 James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: Southeast. Spicer is also a cookbook author and an occasional judge on Iron Chef America.

America’s Classics Awards

Presented by The Coca-Cola Company

Restaurants with timeless appeal, beloved in their regions for quality food that reflects the character of their community. Establishments must have been in existence at least 10 years and be locally owned.

he Bright Star

304 19th St. North, Bessemer, AL
Owners: Jimmy Koikos and Nicky Koikos

A clump of feta, tucked in a salad of iceberg and cucumbers. A stipple of oregano on a broiled snapper fillet. At the Bright Star in Bessemer, Alabama, an old steel town southwest of Birmingham, the vestiges of Greece are few.

Greek immigrants built the Bright Star, a vintage dining hall of intricately patterned tile floors, nicotine-patinaed woodwork, WPA-era murals of the old country, and brass chandeliers.

The Bright Star opened in 1907. Descendants of Bright Star founding fathers—Tom Bonduris and his cousin Bill Koikos, natives of the farming village of Peleta in the mountainous Peloponnesus region —still work the floor. Jimmy Koikos, a septuagenarian, and brother Nicky, seven years his junior, are in charge now.

The menu is an honest—and very old—fusion, Greek meets Southern, as interpreted by African American cooks: fried red snapper throats, house-cut from whole Gulf fish, are on the menu. Okra in a cornmeal crust, too. And field peas with snaps.

In the Birmingham area, many of the best barbecue and meat-and-three restaurants are Greek owned. And the Bright Star is the oldest and most storied of the bunch.

—John T. Edge, Director, Southern Foodways Alliance

EAT: Shrimp n' Grits

All this cold weather has got me thinking of a big dish of warm & comforting shrimp n' grits! I hear they do a good job of it at the new-ish Joseph Leonard. But I also found this great recipe on the Anson Mills site:

Equipment Mise en Place
For this recipe you will need a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan; a fine, conical strainer; a small (1-quart) saucepan; a large nonstick skillet; a set of tongs; and a whisk.

Ingredients
1 pound medium-sized, shell-on shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, small dice
1 small stalk celery, small dice
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
4 cups spring or filtered water
1 teaspoon tomato paste
3 full sprigs fresh thyme
1 Turkish bay leaf
1 teaspoon whole, cracked black peppercorns
1 strip lemon peel
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon flour
2 ounces thick smoked bacon or real country ham, minced (3 tablespoons)
2 large shallots, minced (1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 scallion, white and green part, thinly sliced
1 recipe hot, freshly prepared Anson Mills Antebellum Coarse or Carolina Quick Grits

Directions
1. Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells. Dry the shrimp between layers of paper towels and refrigerate until ready to use. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onion, celery, and garlic and sauté until the shells are crisp and the aromatics tender, 10 minutes. Add the water, tomato paste, thyme, bay, peppercorns, and lemon peel. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the stock is flavorful and reduced, about 1 hour. Strain the stock into a small saucepan (there should be about 1 1/2 cups), and keep hot.

2. While the stock is cooking, mash the butter and flour into a smooth paste in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Sauté the bacon or ham in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-low heat until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Move it to the periphery of the skillet and increase the heat to medium. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink. Sprinkle the shallots over the shrimp, toss, and cook until the shrimp is done, about one minute. Add salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper. Using tongs, transfer the shrimp to a warm plate. Add the hot stock to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the reserved butter and flour mixture. Cook until thickened, about 20 seconds. Return the shrimp to the pan and taste sauce for seasoning.

4. To serve, spoon the hot grits into shallow bowls. Top with shrimp and sauce. Sprinkle with chopped scallions.

EAT: Tipsy Parson

Tipsy Parson is another name for a trifle which, according to What's Cooking America, "comes from the old French term 'trufle,' and literally means something whimsical or of little consequence."

Tipsy Parson is also, according to Urban Daddy, a new southern restaurant opening tonight in Chelsea:

Here to help cast off the shackles of May-only julep consumption is Tipsy Parson, a new Southern-living room dedicated to year-round seasonal fruit juleps, comfort food and the art of the biscuit, opening Monday (10/26) in Chelsea.

If you've been craving a dollop of Southern gentility... you'll want to drop by the two-room Parson...The front bar room feels like the bright, homey kitchen of an old Southern mansion, filled with a church pew for a banquette, lots of colorful knickknacks and plenty of secrets—like the julep slushie machine hidden behind the bar.

The back room is a bit darker, better for a long evening repast, and decked with antiques, tufted leather chairs and a communal table made out of an old cotton press.

There's even a little garden out back if you want to bring a cigar and contemplate life above the Mason-Dixon Line.

Read more here.

EAT: Charles' Pan-Fried Chicken opens tonight! (10/15)

From New York Magazine: You can’t talk about fried chicken in this town without talking about Charles Gabriel, Harlem’s critically acclaimed frymaster who began his career twenty years ago selling chicken out of a truck. Until recently, Gabriel ran a three-shop operation on Frederick Douglass Boulevard called Charles’ Southern-Style Kitchen and moonlighted at Rack & Soul. But eight months ago, a car plowed through one of his storefronts, taking out the beloved steam-table buffet and dashing the dining dreams of soul-food aficionados everywhere. On October 15, he finally reopens his flagship, this time as Charles’ Pan-Fried Chicken, calling attention to the increasingly rare method he employs to fry his legs, wings, breasts, and thighs, turning them frequently in his custom-made manhole-size skillets. How does it feel to return to his old block? “Beautiful,” he says. 2841 Frederick Douglass

EAT: 3rd Ward Bluegrass BBQ 8/23 @ 4PM

August 23, 4 to 9 p, FREE Admission, Cheap Eats & Drinks

Join 3rd Ward for an afternoon of Bluegrass music and BBQ! Local Bluegrass bands will perform between 4 and 7 p and then at 8 p Bluegrass Musicians are invited to grab their banjos, mandolins and acoustic guitars for an open session of parking-lot pickin' in the yard.

Open to everyone, just throw on your country clothes and come out for this buckdancing, bluesy, Brooklyn BBQ. RSVP events@3rdward.com

3rd Ward is a member-based design center for creative professionals in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. They are committed to providing resources, opportunities and a dynamic-creative network to our members and the community at large. Its 20,000 sq. ft. space houses four gorgeous photo studios, a professional wood & metal shop, a fully loaded digital media lab, shared & private office space and a large interdisciplinary art education program. Throughout the year they also offer exciting events and opportunities for artists. (source)

Register now to EAT MOR CHIKIN (8/29)

*** UGA / Chick-fil-A Picnic in Central Park ***

When: Saturday, August 29, 2009 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Arthur Ross Pinetum* (map)

Registration is required and limited to UGA alumni and families.
This event will reach capacity quickly so register for this FREE event early!

*Enter the park at W 86th Street and Central Park West.
Bring blankets and frisbees!*

SCENE: Mississippi Day In The Park (6/13)

Mississippi Day in The Park: 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of the New York Mississippi Picnic. The theme for the 2009 picnic is “Celebrate Mississippi,” and it will highlight some of the best of what Mississippi has to offer: artists, authors, musicians and chefs.

"The New York Mississippi Picnic was started in 1979 as the brainchild of a handful of native Mississippians living in New York City. The group joined together to create an event to highlight Mississippi’s attributes and help change the perceptions others had about the state as well as New York City. The first picnic attracted some 500 individuals, and that number has steadily increased over the years; the 2009 picnic is expected to attract more than 2,000 picnic-goers! In addition to the picnic, the hard work of this group of individuals resulted in the creation of the New York Society for the Preservation of Mississippi Heritage. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, the state’s lead economic development ambassador, will be joining this year’s festivities. In fact, every Mississippi governor since the picnic’s inception has attended this exciting event!"

Central Park’s East Meadow
97th Street and Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
Time: Noon to 6:00 PM

Food Specials:

$10.00 Lunch Plates includes Mississippi farm-raised, southern-fried catfish and hushpuppies from Simmons Catfish in Yazoo City.

Drink Specials: $1.00 of McAlister’s Deli ice cold sweet tea.

Music: Many of the state’s talented musicians will be providing live entertainment.

The event is free but donations are accepted and appreciated to benefit the New York Society for the Preservation of Mississippi Heritage.

For more information, contact Rachel McPherson at (718) 788-2988 or email nymspicnic@yahoo.com.

Rain Out:

Arsenal Gallery
830 Fifth Avenue
At 64th Street & Fifth Avenue inside Central Park
New York, NY 10065
Telephone: Dial 311 Parks & Recreation for information, outside NYC call (212) New York
Web Site: www.nyc.govparks.org

EAT: Louisiana Crawfish and Shrimp Boil (6/11, 18 & 25)

THURSDAY evenings in June @ Duane Park restaurant
Louisiana Crawfish and Shrimp Boil,served with creole fries and roasted local corn.
Crawfish are flown in from Louisiana on Thursdays only and price will vary according to market price. Get your hands dirty while listening to the cool sounds of Jazz.

Of Duane Park, Eater says: As for food, the menu here follows the roots of chef Shawn Knight, who cooked for years in New Orleans with Emeril Lagasse, and features a number of Southern-influenced dishes.

EAT: The Brooklyn Star

A recent nod from Daily Candy:

EAT
The Brooklyn Star
What: Fried green tomatoes, Dr. Pepper ribs, fried chicken wings, dumplings, biscuits, and other divine artery-clogging delights.
Why: This from a man who used to make your Momofuku dreams come true.
When: Daily, 5:30-11 p.m.
Where: 33 Havemeyer St., b/t N. 7th & N. 8th Sts., Williamsburg (718-599-9899).

SCENE/EAT: LSU Crawfish Boil in NYC - May 30

(photo: Nola Cuisine - click it for a DIY crawfish boil recipe)

It's that time of year y'all! That's right Crawfish in NYC brought to you by the LSUNY Metro Alumni. 2000 pounds of crawfish, 16 kegs of assorted Abita beers, and jambalaya. "Be sure to tell your friends and come and join us!"

When: Saturday May 30th - 1-4pm

Where: Pier 66 Maritime - Lightship Frying Pan

------> 26th Street and the Hudson River

What: 2000lbs of Crawfish with the fixins

-----> Jambalaya and 16 Kegs of Abita!

-----> Wine, Soda, Water included

-----> Cash Bar Available

Price: $60 prepay - $80 at the door
-------> Visit lsunymetro.com for tickets

Subway: 23rd St. C, E

Bus: M23 to 12th Ave.

There is no vehicle access to or taxi drop off in Hudson River Park

Live Music:

Maya

J-4-Jennifer

EAT: Texas Tapas Times Two and some BBQ

Two new Texas themed restaurants have hit NYC. Marfa (pictured above) is, according to Thrillist, "the brainchild of an E.Vil townie who convinced the Lucky Cheng's crew to replace Waikikki Wally's with a scuffed-wall, cellar-esque barstraunt named for a West Texas artist colony...Texas grub includes fried catfish w/ cole slaw and beans, dry rub BBQ, mac & cheese, and their own Marfa Chili, so meaty, other chilis will jealously whine 'Marfa Marfa Marfa.'"

And in Brooklyn, Whiskey Sunday, of which the Village Voice wrote: "'A new barbecue spot in the land of rotis,' and that pretty much sums it up. Prospect-Lefferts Gardens is a paradise of West Indian and Caribbean food, and that's where prolific Brooklyn restaurateur Jim Mamary has recently opened a non-traditional but tasty barbecue spot. It was called Billy Sunday's, in a tongue-in-cheek ode to a famous prohibitionist, but apparently Billy was known for not only hating booze and being an evangelist, but also for being a rabid racist, soooo... that name was soon nixed in favor of Whiskey Sunday."

MARDI GRAS TAKES MANHATTAN!!

NOLA native and Loyola alum Ashley White Fryer gives us to lowdown to the showdown. She'll be dropping it like it's hot all over NYC tonight:

Mardi Gras is always the hardest time for a New Orleans expat to be away from home. As Fat Tuesday approaches, I can close my eyes and smell Popeye’s chicken mingling with the sound of police sirens and the scent of exhaust fumes as the parade inches closer. Yet, like every year since I moved to the Big Apple nearly eight years ago, I’ll be streaming the WWOZ Mardi Gras broadcast (www.wwoz.org) from my office in midtown. Sigh. Luckily, there are plenty of celebrations around the city this Tuesday to lift my spirits. Here’s a short list of those looking for an excuse to don their purple, green, and gold.

Below 14^th Street:

Mara’s Homemade (342 East 6^th Street, between 1^st and 2^nd Avenues)

Mara Levi and her husband David know Southern food. The authentic New Orleans cuisine and Arkansas barbeque at Mara’s Homemade never disappoint. On Mardi Gras day, Mara offers a special menu (see http://www.marashomemade.com/Mardi%20Gras%202009.htm) featuring some of her best dishes. Seating begins at 4 PM and continues until the last customer leaves.

Philip Marie (569 Hudson Street at West 11^th).

If you’re looking for a low-key Mardi Gras celebration in the form of a good meal, Philip Marie is offering a dinner for $29.95 (menu at http://www.philipmarie.com/documents/53.html). There are two seatings available (at 6 and 9 PM), and live zydeco by The Gotham Playboys.

The Delta Grill (700 9^th Avenue at 48^th Street)

A $20 admission price at The Delta Grill will get you a Hurricane and all-you-can-eat Cajun buffet. Dance to the live music of Citigrass, and get there early—doors are at 5 PM, food begins at 6, and the music starts at 7.

Acme Bar & Grill (9 Great Jones St. between Broadway and Lafayette)

Mardi Gras revelers get two parties in one at Acme Bar & Grill. On Fat Tuesday, a DJ will spin upstairs, while a zydeco band performs downstairs. Best of all, 16 ounce hurricanes go for $8.

Back Forty (190 Avenue B at 12^th Street)

This Mardi Gras, Back Forty is throwing a birthday celebration for Sixpoint Brewery (a Brooklyn-based microbrewery) in honor of their 5^th anniversary. $50 per person buys you heaping platters of their “Cajun favorites” paired with Sixpoint Brews. Communal dining will encourage the party; reservations are recommended.

Jimmy’s No. 43 (43 East 7^th Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues)

Benefiting Food Services NYC, Jimmy’s No. 43’s Mardi Gras Party features $5 pints and bottles of Abita, as well as gumbo and jambalaya specials.

The Town Tavern (134 West 3^rd Street near MacDougal Street)

The Town Tavern will host their fifth annual “Kegs and Eggs Fat Tuesday Throwdown.” In true New Orleans style, the party on Fat Tuesday starts at 8 AM, with a $12 unlimited Louisiana breakfast buffet offering with Budweiser draught until 10:30 AM. If you’d prefer to start a bit later, not to worry—2-for-1 Hurricanes are available all day, as well as $2 pitchers from 7-9 PM, and $4 pitchers from 9-11 PM. At the stroke of midnight, the patron wearing the most beads will receive $500 cash plus a $500 Town Tavern gift certificate, although there is a high-heel prerequisite (men, start practicing the stuffing of your feet into those red pumps right away.) A $5 cover charge will benefit The American Red Cross.

Above 14^th Street:

The Bourbon Street Bar & Grille (346 West 46^th Street, between 8^th and 9^th Avenues)

The relatively new and opulent New Orleans restaurant (complete with wrought iron balconies) will feature music by the Sugartones New Orleans brass band, an “earn your beads” contest (hmm), and a sampling menu including a live crawfish boil, king cake, jambalaya, and seafood gumbo.

Bourbon Street (407 Amsterdam Avenue, between 79^th and 80^th Streets)

This Upper West Side hangout (not to be confused with the Bar & Grill above) frequented by former Big Easy residents (especially during Saints NFL games) throws a party starting at noon on Tuesday, featuring a live DJ, beads, and drink specials throughout the afternoon and evening.

Southern Hospitality (1460 2^nd Avenue between 76^th and 77^th Streets)

When it comes to Mardi Gras, Justin Timberlake’s BBQ joint does not disappoint. Aside from $6 Frozen Hurricanes and Frozen Cazadores Margaritas all week long, on Fat Tuesday, choose from Magic Hat Beer Specials, or upgrade to a $45 VIP Premium Open Bar from 8 PM-midnight. Mike Preen & The Hot Six will provide live music, and cash prizes will be awarded for “Best Mardi Gras Spirit.”

The Underscore below Bar East (1733 1^st Avenue at 90^th Street)

For the second year, The Underscore will host a fundraiser thrown by New Orleans natives to raise money for the New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. A $30 cover charge gets you some grub and unlimited well drinks from 7-10 PM. The party includes live music and raffles.

Social (795 8^th Avenue, between 48^th and 49^th Streets)

Upscale Midtown West pub Social is offering Happy Hour all day until 8 PM on Fat Tuesday, including $3.50 Bud, Bud Light, and Coors Light bottles, $4.50 well drinks, and $4.50 glasses of Merlot and Pinot Grigio.

TG Whitney’s (244 East 53^rd St. between 2^nd and 3^rd Avenues)

Starting at 8 PM, this post-frat boy hangout features $4 Hurricanes, $3 “Voodoo” shots and $3 New Orleans beers, plus free beads and giveaways throughout the night.

Latitude (783 8^th Avenue, between 47^th and 48^th Streets)

This Hell’s Kitchen hotspot will feature drink specials all day long, including $6 Hurricanes, $4 Shark Bite Shots, and $3.75 Bud and Coors Light.

The Mean Fiddler (266 West 47^th Street, between Broadway and 8^th Avenue)

Not only are there drink specials at the Mean Fiddler on Fat Tuesday ($3 Coors Light, $4 Corona, $4 shots of Southern Comfort, and $5 Hurricanes), but should you become the master of the dance floor after taking advantage of those specials, you may be fortunate enough to win one of the prizes offered for the best dancers. Free beads and giveaways throughout the night complete the party.

Rogue Bar (757 6^th Avenue between 25^th and 26^th Streets)

All day long, Rogue Bar is offering $3 Abitas and New Orleans food specials. At 7 PM, the bar will hold giveaways with prizes.

MJ Armstrong’s (329 First Avenue between 19^th and 20^th Streets)

It may not be exactly like watching Bacchus roll down the streets of New Orleans, but MJ Armstrong’s will hold “Fat Tuesday Rock ‘N’ Roll Trivia” as part of their Mardi Gras festivities. The winning team will receive a $50 bar tab, which would go far with their drink specials for the evening ($3 Hurricanes, $3 SoCo and Lime, $2 PBR and Bacardi specials).

EAT: “Craque” Is For Lovers

It goes by many names: White Trash, Puppy Chow, Muddy Buddies…but Montgomery, AL native, and current New Yorker, Freida Orange calls her version of this “very southern snack” Craque.


“For years now my sister Freida has been making a delicious treat for almost every special occasion,” says sister Maxine Orange. “... she takes it to parties, she gives it as gifts, la la la. So this year, she decided to package it up and sell it so you can give it to your friends and serve it at your parties! Her friends were calling it crack – I suppose because it is so addictive! To make it a little more catchy, (and because we are not crack-heads...) we've re-named it CRAQUE!”

So what is it?? Craque consists of bite-sized pieces of chocolate and peanut butter (Skippy, NOT the stuff that was recalled!) in crunchy shells covered in powdered sugar. It's delicious and, yes, addictive!!

Freida was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama where she still has a rather large and wonderful family. She has a degree in Journalism from The University of Georgia (Go Dawgs!) in Athens. Freida moved to New York in 2000 and has had amazing experiences working in film and television since. She’s been making these delicious snacks for years and had been told numerous times she should package and sell them. She finally had time to do it during the 2008 holiday season and “Craque” has taken on a life of its own.

Freida peddles her “Craque” online on Etsy and at Bonsignour in NYC’s West Village. It’s the perfect fix for Valentine’s Day (which happens to be Freida’s b-day as well)!!

EAT + ART = Goolsby’s in Evans (Augusta), GA

"Come on girl and try some of this hoecake, you know hoes gotta eat too!"

Well, I never did think I’d get a chance to use that classic John Witherspoon line, but thanks to Goolsby’s in Evans/Augusta, GA I rang in ’09 eating a bonafide hoe cake!

photo from vegancrunk.blogspot.com

Legend has it that the cakes were called "hoe cakes" back in the day when field hands (and/or railroad workers) would cook the cornmeal-based cakes over an open fire in the mouth of a shovel or hoe.

Miss Betty, granddad’s lady friend and a native Kentucky-ian, says “We didn’t call them hoe cakes, we just called them fried corn bread!”

Certain Georgia restaurants maintain legendary, almost mythical, status in the mind of Big D – Doug’s Place in Emerson, Buckner’s towards South Georgia, and Goolsby’s, a meat-n-three in Evans/Augusta:

photo: Augusta Chronicle

It doesn’t look like much beyond a strip mall joint from the outside but, yeah:

Country fried pork loin; barbecue chicken; hickory-smoked barbecue pork loin; Southern-fried jumbo chicken tenders; green beans, black-eyed peas, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, collard greens, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and gravy, cabbage, creamed corn, candied yams, and rice and gravy AND A HOECAKE!

The waitresses remember your face and if you take yellow, pink or blue packets in your unsweetened tea, and the allegorical slice-of-life tin roofing/acrylic paintings of Lincolnton, GA artist Leonard Jones line the walls.

Leonard Jones has lived in the same rural community his entire life. Born in 1955 and raised on a farm, Jones does occasional farmwork, logging work, and odd jobs to support himself. He lives simply, without a car and often without electricity or running water. He began painting seriously when he was 17, when he discovered a talent for making exact copies of photographs. Today Jones much prefers to paint simple, sweeping memory scenes. His materials of choice are housepaint and roofing tin. His choice of subject matter is often derived from his childhood, early life memories and experiences. His work is unique because of his choice of perspective - whereas most folk painters choose a head-on, two-dimensional approach, many of Leonard's works are seen from angles more akin to a cameraman. His works have begun to receive acclaim in recent years, appearing in gallery shows and at the House of Blues.

(Bio taken from his gallerists Ginger Young & Fin Leaf)

EAT: Ring in some luck & money for 2009!

above photo from myrecipes.com

If you are planning to celebrate the New Year in the Southeast, it is most likely that you will be offered black-eyed peas in some form, either just after midnight or on New Year's Day. From grand gala gourmet dinners to small casual gatherings with friends and family, these flavorful legumes are traditionally, according to Southern folklore, the first food to be eaten on New Year's Day for luck and prosperity throughout the year ahead. The tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme including: Served with greens (collards, mustard or turnip greens, which varies regionally), the peas represent coins and the greens represent paper money. In some areas cabbage is used in place of the greens. Cornbread, often served with black-eyed peas and greens, represents gold. (Source: About.com. Read the whole article here).