While my friend was at work I took the cable car to the French Quarter for my first culinary trip around New Orleans. My first stop: Cafe Du Monde.
Cafe Du Monde was established in 1862 and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (closing only during Christmas and when Hurricanes force them to shut down). I'm glad I don't live in New Orleans otherwise I'd be there everyday. It is located on Decatur Street in the heart of the French Quarter.
The most popular items to order at Cafe Du Monde are a cup of Cafe Au Lait, and French-Style donuts called Beignets. "Mmmm Donuts," said my inner Homer Simpson. I took a seat in the crowded restaurant until a sweet Vietnamese woman came to take my order (most of the employees are Vietnamese). Within five minutes I had this placed in front of me.....
The Beignets are perfectly deep fried and buried in powdered sugar. I instantaneously got diabetes merely by looking at it.
The Verdict: It was Disgusting. Said NO ONE EVER! It was sooo yummy, and I used the extra mounds of powdered sugar to sweeten my Cafe Au Lait.
My next culinary stop was The New Orleans School of Cooking.
The New Orleans School of Cooking is a popular cooking school that offers multiple daily cooking classes focusing on Southern delights. On the menu the day of my visit was Jambalaya, Gumbo, and Pralines. Are you salivating yet? Do I need to wipe the drool off your bib?
Our chef for the day was Paula Deen's doppelganger. She not only looked like Paula Deen but talked just like her too. I'm pretty sure she too buys butter in bulk at Costco.
I ate my jambalaya so quickly that I didn't even get an opportunity to take a photo of it. So imagine a rice dish filled with the trinity (celery, onions, and bell peppers), veggies, stock, spices, meats (chicken, sausage, seafood, or all of the above), and BAM!!
New Orleans doesn't just have Beignets and Jambalaya to offer, the whole city is filled with amazing restaurants.
I'll be kicking it up another notch and posting about some of my favorite restaurants in New Orleans soon.
Date Accomplished: September 16th, 2011
