Mariecheri

a little bit of night music in NOLA:

rebirth brass band @ maple leaf, chic gamine @ hi ho lounge, mercy brothers @ chickie wah wah, panorama jazz band @ spotted cat, kishi bashi @ one eyed jacks, tbc brass band @ celebration hall, terrance simien @ french quarter fest, stooges brass band @ rock bottom, fortier park fest

Swamp Tour

Mardi Gras Indians

Super Sunday

March 17th, 2013

A.L. Davis Park

Alcée Fortier Park

This tiny triangle is located in the Bayou St. John neighborhood. It was named after Alcée Fortier, a philanthropist and professor of French Creole ancestry who published numerous works on language, Louisiana history and folklore in the early 20th century. For years, the park was neglected and nicknamed ‘dog shit park’ until a group of community members decided to change that. Today, the park is almost completely maintained by local volunteers.

• Lounge chairs, strings of lights, chess boards, sculptures and fountains
• Proximity to restaurants, coffee shops, groceries and a wine shop to buy picnic supplies
• Doggies!
• Movie nights?

Is there anything more magical than Alcée Fortier Park at twilight?

New Orleans has many delicious doughnuts (beignets!!!) but nothing quite like Doughbot. The owners were inspired by the infamous Voodoo in Portland “to fill Sacramento’s gourmet donut hole.” Most of the artisan ingredients are made from scratch, hence the hefty price tag. The only place that tops it is Federal Donuts in Philly.

My favorites: rosemary lemon poppyseed, meyer lemon, bacon chocolate, maple bacon bread pudding, the dude, mr. manager, the great pumpkin, s’mores, dulce de leche, OMG TOO MANY

The last week I was in town they were celebrating the annual BaconFest :)

Coffee Stand Comparison: Cafe Du Monde versus Morning Call

History: Variations of fried dough are found throughout the world, but the origin of the term ‘beignet’ is French. In New Orleans, these deep-fried pastries are liberally dusted with powdered sugar and served alongside cafe au lait. The tradition of beignets in Europe is speculated to have originated from the heavy influence of Islamic culinary tradition. In the 18th century they were brought to Louisiana from the French colonists. According to legend, they were introduced to New Orleans by a group of nuns who founded an academy for girls. They were declared Louisiana’s official state doughnut in 1986. 

Morning Call

• Established 1870 in the French Quarter, competed with CDM
• Moved to Metairie in 1974
• City Park location opened November 2012
• Beignets served naked - dust them yourself (CDM used to do this also. Something about LSD?)
• Food and drink menu: gumbo, jambalaya, red beans & rice, frozen cafe au lait, Irish coffee and beer

Cafe Du Monde

• Established 1862 in the French Market where it remains today
• Iced coffee and soft drinks introduced in 1988. (Lame)
• Today, there are 8 CDMs in the New Orleans metropolitan area
• Gift shops to buy swag

Similarities: traditional French market doughnuts and dark roast chicory coffee, open 24/7, family-owned, closed on Christmas Day

The verdict: Cafe du Monde

1. They taste better. This is a matter of opinion. If you like your beignets doughy rather than crispy, you will prefer Morning Call. 
2. Limited menu. Why does MC sell all that other crap?  Keep it short and sweet. Californians love In-N-Out for it’s simple menu.
3. MC moved to the suburbs.
4. Can’t beat the atmosphere. Best people watching in NOLA. 
5. X Factor. I literally can’t stop smiling here. There’s something about the sticky tables, the crowds, the staff - it just can’t be put into words! I always forget to take photos.. Apparently there are powdered sugar fights :)

Next week: Cafe Beignet and New Orleans Beignet & Coffee Co.

Must try: fruit filled (banana or plantain) and savory.