New Orleans Foods and Where to Find Them
Chargrilled oysters, po boys, muffuletta, and more
Sabrina,
The Cherry Bombe Jubilee sounds incredible – I can’t believe you met so many icons. I am so grateful for all of your links for books and chefs to check out. I really want to read all of the books, especially Islas.
I was in New Orleans this weekend for Jazz Fest. Jazz Fest is centered around music, but, as anyone should expect in Louisiana, it is about food too. They have tons of food stalls with every type of local cuisine. In honor, I have made a list of some of my favorite Louisiana foods and where to find them in New Orleans.
Chargrilled Oysters at Casamento’s
Chargrilled oysters are what got me hooked on oysters. The oysters are drenched in garlic butter and topped with parmesan cheese, then grilled over a hot fire. They’re served with white bread to mop up the extra butter. Casamento’s is a great place to get them – they’re so focused on oysters that they are only open during peak oyster season. They shuck the oysters right in front of you and serve them chargrilled, raw, in stew, or fried on an oyster loaf.
Muffuletta from Central Grocery
Muffuletta is an iconic New Orleans sandwich – it’s a round loaf of sesame seed bread with layers of Italian cold cuts and cheese and a generous blanket of olive salad on each side of the bread. The olive salad is salty and tangy with a nice crunch, and the oil seeps into the bread. My favorite muffuletta is from Central Grocery. It’s an old grocery store in the French Quarter, full of dusty jars of Italian goods. They serve the muffulettas to go, wrapped in white paper, with the grease from the olive salad coming through.
Grits and Collard Greens at Molly’s Rise and Shine
Having grits with collard greens surely must be the best way to eat them. I love the version at Molly’s Rise and Shine (the sister restaurant to Turkey and the Wolf). The greens are cooked in a spicy, vinegary sauce, which balances perfectly with the creamy, cheesy grits. They serve this with a poached egg, salsa macha, chopped peanuts, and a tangle of herbs on top.
Boudin at Cochon Butcher
Boudin is a pork and rice sausage. It’s almost like a Cajun-seasoned pate mixed with rice. Everything is already cooked, so you can just squeeze it into your mouth straight from the casing. The other best way to eat it is as boudin balls, which are crunchy, fried balls of boudin served with dipping sauce. Cochon Butchers does a really nice boudin (and other local meats) but you can also get these as a snack at any bar or gas station.
Fried Shrimp Po Boy at Parasols
The po boy is the classic New Orleans sandwich, and probably does not need much explanation. My favorite is fried shrimp (although I did have a very good roast beef one at Jazz Fest and I might need to reconsider). Parasol’s, a neighborhood dive bar in the Irish Channel, makes a great one.
A running letter between long distance friends who love to eat
Do you miss your best friend? Are really hungry you right now? If the answer to either of these is yes, you know what to do.