TX takes LA: Chicory

by Rachel Hamburger, intern


It’s time for the second installment of TX takes LA! Today I’ll be telling y’all about chicory. It’s in lots of the coffee here in Louisiana, and I have set out to figure out what chicory actually is. I had never heard of chicory before living in Louisiana, and when I first heard about it was thoroughly confused. What is it? Why is it mixed in with the coffee here? How does it taste? Well, I found an answer for all these questions.

Chicory

What is it?

Chicory used in coffee comes from the root of the blue-flowered plant cichorium intybus, an herbaceous plant of the dandelion family. It is roasted and ground, then mixed with coffee. It doesn’t have caffeine, but has a similar taste to coffee. Its main claim to fame here in Louisiana is in café au laits, but is also served black. When ground, it looks much like your typical ground coffee as well, but is a little bit darker.

Why is it mixed in with the coffee?

The use of chicory in coffee became popularized in France during Napoleon’s Continental Blockade in 1808, which resulted in a major coffee shortage. The French began mixing it with their coffee to stretch their coffee supply. Once the blockade lifted, the use of chicory in coffee came to a halt, but the practice of using chicory in coffee made it over to the French colonies in North America. The Acadians brought it down with them to Louisiana from Canada, just like they did with beignets.

The use of chicory in coffee became wildly popular in Louisiana during the American Civil War. Union naval blockades cut off the port of New Orleans, and coffee shipments could not get through. Similar to the French during Napoleon’s Continental Blockade, the people of New Orleans began mixing chicory with their coffee to make their coffee supply last. After this, the use of chicory in coffee became a tradition in New Orleans, hence why it is often in our coffee today.

How does it taste?

It is somewhat difficult to put how chicory tastes into words, as it does taste very similar to regular coffee. Chicory has an almost chocolate and slight anise flavor, and many believe it offsets the bitter taste of coffee.

The takeaway:

Coffee with chicory is a tradition in Louisiana that is loved by people all over. It adds just a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ to the flavor of your coffee without making it taste completely different. In my opinion, the best way to drink coffee with chicory is a café au lait with a side of beignets (and by side, I mean a mountain of beignets).

If you want to try some for yourself, grab a bag of coffee chicory from Baton Rouge coffee roasters, Cafeciteaux.

TX takes LA: Beignets

by Rachel Hamburger, intern

As a Texas girl that made the “big move” (4 hours) to Baton Rouge to go to LSU, I quickly realized that Cajun culture was no joke. While mourning the loss of all my Tex-Mex faves back in Houston, I had no choice but to fill the void with some Cajun classics.

I had never really tried most of the Louisiana staples like gumbo, jambalaya and boudin, but there is one staple that I was all too familiar with: beignets. Growing up, I was a frequent customer at Crescent City Beignets in Houston. My go-to order was the beignet strips (which I now know is the non-traditional option) with the classic powdered sugar, and not so classic chocolate and vanilla sauce drizzled on top.

The first time I visited Café Du Monde in New Orleans, I was shocked that they only had beignets in square form. I wanted my beignet strips (beignets that basically look like human fingers… kind of creepy.) After trying the classically shaped pastry, I finally understood why that’s the form they’re typically served. The ratio of golden crunchy crust to doughy steamy goodness is perfection. While the beignet strips from Crescent City Beignets will always hold a nostalgic place in my heart, I have a new found appreciation for their classic predecessor.

Experiencing this classic Louisiana treat at the place of all places got me thinking: What is the origin of this heavenly dessert that has somehow camouflaged itself as a breakfast food?

I did a little research and here’s what I found:

French settlers brought the recipe for the beignet when they migrated to a region called Acadia in Eastern Canada in the 17th century. Some believe it was the French Ursuline Nuns in particular.

So, how did the beignet get from Canada all the way down to Louisiana?
A hundred years after the French settled in Acadia, the British took over and forced them to migrate. Many made their way to Louisiana! They became known as the Cajuns, and brought their food and language with them. Beignets are most associated with the French Quarter in New Orleans, but are a tradition all over Louisiana.

How are these hole-less doughnuts on steroids made?
Beignets are choux pastry (a light pastry dough moist enough to puff up with steam, aka no yeast is needed to make them rise). They are prepared fresh to order, or at least should be because they are so much better that way. They take a nice hot bath in vegetable oil, and are fried until they’re golden brown.

Once they come out of the fryer, they are covered in copious amounts of powdered sugar. Beignets are traditionally served with café au laits (hot coffee mixed with steamed milk) and in some parts of Louisiana there’s also chicory mixed in there. I’ll tell y’all all about chicory in my next post. I highly recommend you dipping your beignet in café au lait.

All this talk about beignets got you hungry for them? Here’s a couple places right here in Baton Rouge where you can go grab some today!

Coffee Call: 3132 College Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 (They’re open till 2AM every night!)

Rue Beignet: 18135 E Petroleum Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Corks & Cleaver Shows Off on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

by Jay Ducote

Chef David Dickensauge used to be a fixture in the Baton Rouge food scene, running the kitchen at Bin 77 with a creative and ever-changing menu as well as participating in numerous charity events by serving up inspired dishes to the crowds. When I got word that he'd be leaving Bin 77 to head to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I knew it would be the capital city's loss and the coast's gain. 

I recently got a chance to check out his first restaurant in Gulfport, MS, Corks & Cleaver. With only a quick glance of the menu, you can evidently see his flair and flavor profile. A friend and I decided to feast on a sampling of small plates along with a bottle of wine, after all, corks is in the name. 

Coffee Braised Veal Cheeks, Truffled Popcorn Grits, Fermented Greens, Sweet Corn Pudding, Parsnip Volutte

Tender, and packed with flavor, the coffee braised veal cheeks fell apart at the prodding of a fork. That bitterness of the coffee offset the sweetness of the corn while the dish got an acidic bite from the fermented greens. The only thing I would have liked to add to this dish would be a crunch textural element. The grits, greens, corn pudding and veal all had a soft and smooth texture and could have used a snap but the flavors were on point.

Creole Devils on Horseback: Bacon wrapped Boudin and Andouille stuffed Medjool Dates with Piquillo-Tomato Sauce

A staple of Chef Dickensauge's arsenal is the Creole Devils on Horseback. He's made these before, he'll make them again and I'll be happy to eat them every time. Boudin and andouille get stuffed in a sweet Medjool date, then all of that is wrapped in bacon and plated atop a piquillo pepper and tomato sauce. The dish is smoky, porky, sweet, spicy and tangy. I need more.

Duck Confit Beignets, Bok Choy Kimchi, Smoked Date Marmalade, Cayenne Powdered Sugar

We opted for the duck confit beignets as our final small plate, because duck. These crispy, fluffy orbs of fried dough came stuffed with savory duck confit and bok choy kimchi. It's an interesting flavor combination to be sure, but one that works on multiple levels. The tartness from kimchi is just enough to counter the richness from the duck and dough, while the cayenne powdered sugar left just the right amount of sweet and spice.

David Dickensauge's Tres Leches Cake with Blueberries and Blackberries

We had to have something for dessert and our server suggested the tres leches cake. I'm not normally a fan of tres leches as sometimes the textures just don't agree with me, but we were assured that this tres leches cake would live up to the hype.

Earlier this year I had hands down the best panna cotta of my life, and now I can also say that this year I've tried my favorite tres leches cake ever. What Chef David Dickensauge and his team really nailed is the texture. Instead of being a soggy mess, the moist cake held up to the milk and the flavors hit all the right notes.

Hopefully I'll get a chance to get back to Corks & Cleaver at some point. I'm also really excited about Chef David's new seafood restaurant, Brackish. Check it out if you're ever on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!

Great Raft Brewing + Restaurant Calla: A Flavorful Balancing Act

by Blair Loup

Southwest Louisiana is the place I call home. I grew up in the small city of Sulphur near what some might call the “main drag,” in this case the street with the most chain restaurants. We had to go across the bridge to Lake Charles to go to a mall or see a movie; you know, the fun stuff.

While it was a great place to grow up, I’ll admit throughout college I didn’t find myself itching to leave Baton Rouge to go home for a visit, but that’s changing.

Lake Charles is booming, and there are some cool people working hard to showcase what the area has to offer. One of those shining stars is Chef David Sorrells at Restaurant Calla.

The relatively new restaurant is one of the first businesses to open in a sparkly new development, Walnut Grove. Chef David has a long history of restaurant experience, but perhaps the most notable is his time at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.

So what’s he doing in Lake Charles? He’s plating up some of the tastiest and creative bites I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing in the region.

Recently, Jay teamed up with Restaurant Calla and Great Raft Brewing to kick off our Louisiana Winter Beer Festival weekend. Great Raft's Chief Brewer Harvey Kenney claimed it was easily the best Great Raft Beer pairing dinner he’s experienced.

Blue Crab Beignet + Southern Drawl Pale Lager

Blue crab beignet, malt vinegar aioli, red pepper confit.

What I imagined would be a bready fritter with a few chunks of crab turned out to be this magical delicately fried ball stuffed to the gills with blue crab. The subtle sweetness of the crab met with a malt vinegar aioli to give it a tinge of acidity that set off the flavors. This lovely, bright but sweet red pepper confit added a necessary savory element. Pair that with a crisp, clean lager and the first course was set.

Red Snapper Ceviche + At Arm’s Length India Pale Lager

Red Snapper ceviche, tropical fruit, coconut cream.

Easily one of the best ceviches I’ve eaten, Chef David’s balance of flavors in this dish was spot on. Ceviche is the art of curing fish or other seafood in citrus juices. The tango of that popping citrus with tropical fruit and a coconut cream set off the hop-forward lager in a way that will stay with me.

Grilled Octopus + Commotion American Pale Ale

Grilled octopus, avocado, chipotle, barley, cilantro, grapefruit, Commotion vinaigrette.

This is not your mom’s grilled octopus dish. Super tender grilled octopus sprinkled with accoutrements like creamy avocado, smoky chipotle, cilantro, barley, and juicy grapefruit tossed in Commotion vinaigrette had my taste buds partying like it was 1999. Those flavors combined with the relaxed hoppy Commotion were money. Commotion is one of those hoppy beers that even even a Coors Light drinker can get behind. It’s easy to drink and refreshing.

Coffee & Cocoa Rubbed Tenderloin + Reasonably Corrupt Black Lager

Coffee and cocoa rubbed tenderloin, creamed yucca, charred leeks, ancho hollandaise.

This dish spoke to me on levels I didn’t know beef tenderloin could speak on. The bitter but savory rub on the beef married with the ancho hollandaise seamlessly. Drag that buttery soft bite through the thick creamed yucca, and it’s on. The toasty notes you get in the Reasonably Corrupt from the roasted paired perfectly with the chocolate-peppery notes in the dish.

Chocolate Short Bread Cookies + Provisions and Traditions Vol. 3 Oak Aged Oktoberfest with Louisiana Cane Syrup

Chocolate short bread cookies, banana sorbet, dulce de leche, peanut butter powder.

Chocolate short bread cookies with a banana sorbet drizzled with dulce de leche and peanut butter powder is never a bad decision. What I love about flavored powders like peanut butter, strawberry, green tea, etc. is that you get the entirety of the flavor full on, but not the substance. It’s a very cool way to accentuate dishes. This Oak Aged Oktoberfest is slightly sweet from the malt with a bittersweet cane syrup taste…now if only dipping the cookies in beer were a good idea!

Treat Yoself: A Sugary Sweet Dessert Roundup

by Sydney Blanchard

Much to the horror of my dentist, I love to eat sweets. Gummy, stick-to-your-teeth candies rank the highest for me, followed closely by pastries, cookies, chocolate, and anything else that triggers tooth decay. 

I'm not alone in my addiction to sweets. Jay and Chuck P are almost as bad as I am when it comes to sugary delights. Jay has, to my knowledge, never passed up dessert at the end of a meal, and Chuck P could eat nothing but doughnuts for the rest of his life and be happy. 

So I'd like to dedicate this post to all those sugar fiends like me who crave the sweet and will pass on the salty. Here's some of the prettiest desserts we've encountered. Some have made it to blog posts, some have been featured previously on social media, and others are debuting in this very post.

Screw your New Years' Resolutions, your diet starts tomorrow!

First It's Sour...

Sour Patch flavored sorbet in Orange Beach

How gorgeous is this scoop of Sour Patch sorbet from Fisher's in Orange Beach, Alabama? The chefs there churn out candy-inspired ice creams as part of the dessert menu at Fisher's Upstairs, and we got to try all of them (including the Barq's root beet flavored ice cream and the candy corn flavored ice cream). This sorbet tasted exactly like the Sour Patch candies that destroyed my tastebuds as a child!

It's a Piece of (Cheese)Cake

strawberry #cheesecake at McEwen's in @visitoxford has got us missing #1 cheesecake fan @jayducote! #visitoxfordms #yummy #mcewans #oxford #lrctrip

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Nov 11, 2015 at 12:59pm PST

Chocolate? Check. Cheesecake? Check. My favorite Southern city? Check. This delectable dessert came from McEwen's in Oxford, Mississippi, the perfect spot to share desserts and cocktails with friends.

Eyes on the Pies

We are keeping our 👀s on the 🍰s at @strawnseatshop! This strawberry ice box pie is to die for! What's your favorite ice box pie? #tastelouisiana #strawn #iceboxpie #strawberry

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Sep 25, 2015 at 12:41pm PDT

Featured as one of my Best Bites of 2015, this strawberry icebox pie from Strawn's Eat Shop haunts my dreams. I've tried and failed to find a comparable pie around Baton Rouge. Sure, there's City Pork Kitchen & Pie's version of the strawberry icebox pie, and of course there's Ambrosia's famous strawberry cake (which has been served as my birthday cake every year since I first discovered it), but nothing around here tastes quite like what they've got going on up in the Shreve.

Fruit Sorbet, Yummy Yummy

Dessert at Chef John Besh's Lüke in New Orleans

Sorry, but to me this dessert constitutes as health food. Look at all that fruit! This is practically a salad, for all intents and purposes. This berry sorbet topped with a berry sauce and covered in fresh blueberries and peaches from Lüke in New Orleans tasted about as good as it looked.

Strawberry Tarts Forever

Strawberry tart from L'Auberge in Lake Charles

As if they didn't feed me enough when I visited Lake Charles! One night back at the hotel, I wanted a little post-dinner snack, and I opted for this strawberry tart from L'Auberge Lake Charles. Pretty much instantly, this picture blew up on social media. Enjoyed with a little wine by the fire, it was a pretty good end to a great evening. 

Snow Day

Grape snowball from Snoman Snoballs in Baton Rouge

The best thing about snowballs is that everyone has their "thing," either a special combination of flavors or a classic topped with condensed milk or stuffed with ice cream. Some lunatics even like sour spray on this classic summer cool-down treat. Of course Blair likes plain grape, but I always combine wedding cake and ice cream flavored syrup and top the whole thing with condensed milk. I live for snowball season.

With a Cherry on Top

Forever dreaming of this cherry topped cheesecake from @notjustpie in Monroe! Cheesecake is hands down one of my favorite desserts. Where is your favorite cheesecake in town? @pizzagirlfriend insists the best cheesecake is at Piccadilly's...not sure I agree. Thoughts? #cheesecake #dessertporn #yummy #foodpics #monroe #notjustpie

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Aug 25, 2015 at 11:22am PDT

I've had plenty of cheesecake in my day. It's my go-to dessert at most restaurants. And don't come at me with that "cheesecake" powder mix, or a frozen boxed cheesecake. I like the fluffy ones made from scratch. Despite my favorite cheesecake being Piccadilly's, hands down, this cherry-topped slice from Not Just Pie in Monroe, Louisiana, had that perfect fluffy texture I love.

Float On

Root Beer Float at City Pork Deli

City Pork Deli never ceases to impress me. Once for lunch we happened to drop in unwittingly on National Root Beer Float Day, and CP was serving up this gorgeous root beer float made with Swamp Pop Filé Root Beer and rimmed with crushed candied pecan dust. Mark your calendars for August 5. Hopefully they'll recreate it this year!

Beignet? More like Beign-Bae

Beignet? More like beign-bae! You can never go wrong with beignet fingers from #coffeecall in #gobr! #tastelouisiana #comehomela @visitbatonrouge @louisianatravel @louisianacookin @louisianaculinarytrails #nomnom #foodporn #donuts #sugar #nomnomnom #beignetmoster

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Dec 15, 2015 at 7:58am PST

Last week I was up late watching Chef with my girlfriend, and we saw a scene where the main characters ate beignets at Cafe Du Monde in New Orleans. Without talking, we exchanged a meaningful look, put our shoes on, hopped in the car, and headed straight to Coffee Call for a bag of their beignet fingers. As we sat covered in powdered sugar, we thought aloud, "Where else in the world can you crave beignets and acquire them pretty much instantaneously?" Our answer? Only in Louisiana!

Jazz Feast: The Food Festival within a Festival

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Squeal BBQ's Smoky Bacon Greens and Jazz Fest favorite Fried Green Tomatoes

Though the Jazz Fest line-up changes every year, there are a couple of things that typically remain consistent: the crowds and the food vendors. It’s been a long-running joke that a food vendor has to die before another new vendor gets the chance to dish out grub to hungry music fans.

Blair Loup and her brother Jake at Jazz Fest waiting to see Hozier play.

As it turns out, this year a handful of food vendors chose to retire, bringing a few new bites to the food market. I dragged my older brother Jake to the festival opening day to help me eat…and to see the devastatingly beautiful Hozier play.

We enjoyed some of the classics: fried green tomatoes, cochon de lait po-boy, sweet potato turnover, etc. But the smoky bacon greens from new food vendor Squeal landed at the top of our list.

There are a lot of classic Jazz Fest foods, and while we didn’t get the chance to eat all of them, I finally tried one of the most famous of Jazz Fest bites for the first time. I have been a fest goer for a little over half a decade and had never tried crawfish bread. After one bite, I’d be willing to get a heart tattooed on my shoulder with crawfish bread inscribed at its center. Below are a handful of the foods and beverages I saw and had the pleasure of ingesting:

Rose mint tea at Jazz Fest is one of those things I can't live without. It's herbaceous and sweetened with local honey. It's the bee knees, and if you haven't tried it you need to reevaluate your life choices.

Rose Mint Tea

While fried chicken and jambalaya aren't hard to come by in Louisiana, there are a lot of festival attendees from out of state. While we take it for granted, the food at Jazz Fest is an all new discovery for those who come from all over the country. I saw people chomping down on this crispy fried chicken all day and smiling ear to ear.

Classic Fried Chicken and Jambalaya

The cochon de lait po-boy is a must-have at Jazz Fest. This hefty fellow is packed with succulent pork that's perfect if you're planning on indulging in a few beers or daiquiris between shows...or throughout the day.

Cochon de Lait Po-Boy

Thanks to the festival gods, we find ourselves in the midst of crawfish season during Jazz Fest. There's no smell as tantalizing as a fresh pot of boiled crawfish. It's not a five pound tray of crawfish, but it's enough to get a taste. As previously mentioned, boiled crawfish is a delicacy to all, but curiously pursued by those who travel to the fest... hopefully with elastic in their waistbands. 

Boiled Crawfish

I noticed a man walking by with what looked like the ultimate trio of deliciousness. A crispy fried oyster po-boy accompanied by fluffy, savory crawfish beignets drowned in a cream sauce would be a sin to enjoy even if you stopped there. However, to also wash them down with a sweet blackberry cobbler... I love Louisiana.

From left to right: Fried Oyster Po-Boy, Blackberry Cobbler, and Crawfish Beignets

Squeal BBQ stepped up to the plate to replace a former BBQ vendor at the fest. The line outside their booth seemed constant throughout the day. Hopefully they'll be back next year slinging more of their tasty 'que to fest goers!

BBQ Chicken Sandwich (left) and BBQ Brisket Sandwich (right) from Squeal BBQ

Finally, after 24 years of searching, I found love. I don't know what I expected, but the crawfish bread at Jazz Fest lived up to every bit of hype I've ever heard. A religious experience within itself, crawfish bread is cheesy, spicy, buttery, and all I want until the end of time.

Crawfish Bread

Bite and Booze Bonus: Don't skip on the sweets. Most of the bands I go to see at Jazz Fest perform on the Gentily Stage. Along the way, a small booth laid tucked away from the crowd serving up some of the most delicious Macaroons I've tasted. Also, on your way to the market (heading from the Acura Stage to the Gentily Stage side) stop and grab a sweet potato turnover!

Bite and Booze Radio Show: The Fountain Lounge at the Roosevelt

I had the pleasure of staying in the historic Roosevelt Hotel when the Bite and Booze Radio Show last hit New Orleans. More famously known for it's lobby that is frozen in time and the legendary Sazerac Bar, the Roosevelt is also the home to the Fountain Lounge. Chef Mark Majorie set us up with some of their Happy Hour bites and libations, which are only $6 on Tuesday-Sunday 4-6pm. This is a perfect bite to grab if you're in the neighborhood and there's free parking parking anytime you're dining in the Fountain Lounge! Take a listen to the show and check out the pictures of the food below:


A classic play of sweet and savory, these sweet potato bacon beignets hit the spot. The beignets themselves have a subtle sweetness and are like light puffy pillows. The crunch of the bacon adds a nice layer of textures and the pecan aioli ties everything together. There's no need for dessert when you can share this dish!

Sweet Potato Bacon Beignets over a Natchitoches Pecan Aioli

Brussels sprouts, radish, almonds, and more at the Fountain Lounge

The beauty of The Fountain Lounge's summer Happy Hour is that you can stroll around the hot streets of New Orleans and pop in at the Fountain lounge and have a beverage as you do in New Orleans and also have a light and refreshing dish (for an affordable price). This tuna tartar was crisp and fresh with the perfect acidity and texture layers. The fermented red pepper paste brings the dish a little flare that rounds out the flavors. There are some seriously tasty dishes coming out of Chef Majorie's kitchen.

Ahi Tuna Charred and Tartar'd over a Fermented Red Pepper Paste with Pickled Ruston Peaches and Grilled Scallions

This dish is such a fun combination of flavors! I know it's weird to think of eating pork belly and fresh watermelon in the same bite, but think of it as the salt some sprinkle on their watermelon wedges in the summer. The saltiness of the tender pork belly really harmonizes with the fresh watermelon. I will definitely be back to have this dish again!

Star Anise Pork Belly with Fresh Watermelon, Local Radish, and Ponzu Dressing

Take a Sip on the Dark Side: 8 Baton Rouge Coffee Shops to Check Out

Coffee shops are a staple in society. Whether we're catching up with old friends, making the best of a rough morning, cramming for an exam, or working on that latest assignment, the coffee shop is our refuge. In the Baton Rouge area we have a multitude of options, each with their own personalities and amenities. Some have unique-to-us beans, some have special methods of brewing, and some have killer menus, but they all have the one thing that matters most: sweet, sweet caffeine. Here are eight of my favorite spots in no particular order... leave me a comment and tell me your favorite spots to grab a cup of coffee! Or you can leave a note on the Bite and Booze Facebook Page!

Garden District Coffee: 2008 Perkins Rd.
Your classic neighborhood friendly coffee shop: Garden District Coffee has a great patio, a roomy inside and delicious roasts. I’m typically a cup of black coffee kind of guy, so what I like most about Garden District Coffee is they have a different roast every day. It’s a great place to go and grab a delicious cup of brew and a scone while you get some work done or chat with friends.

Bite and Booze Bonus: If you’re looking for a hot cup of coffee with a kick, try the X-Treme…part brewed coffee, part espresso.

photo courtesy of Coffee Call's Facebook Page

Coffee Call: 3132 College Dr.

It’s the simple things that make life worthwhile, and Coffee Call has pegged some of those down. Beignets and coffee are the basic foundation of a southern morning. If you drop by Coffee Call on any given day you'll get a whiff of powdered sugar, frying dough and coffee beans…who wouldn't want to wake up to that?

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the beignet fingers and mix half café au lait and hot chocolate in your mug…it will change your life.

CT Crunch Cake Balls courtesy of Brew Ha Ha!

Brew Ha Ha: 711 Jefferson Hwy.
Owner and local firecracker Gabby Loubiere made Mid City her home nearly a decade ago. It’s a cool spot with walls covered in local art and air full of the smell of her famous cake balls. You’ll go for the coffee, but you’ll stay for the friendly baristabots, cake balls, and delicious breakfast and lunch items (my Jay’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce is on a signature sandwich). 

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Ladywhat cakeball: minty, chocolaty goodness

Highland Coffees: 3350 Highland Rd.
The go-to brew of many LSU students and faculty for the past quarter century, Highland Coffees located just outside of LSU’s North gates specializes in house-roasted beans and imported authentic teas. This makes for an extensive retail section, an aroma that’s hard to beat, and a strong cup of joe. Being that coffee loses freshness quickly after roasting, Highland Coffees chooses to roast the beans themselves; they also only import tea from places using sustainable harvesting practices—just another example of cool people doing cool things in our fair city.

Bite and Booze Bonus: I like my coffee dark, so I like their Italian Roast…it’s the darkest roast they offer and has a delightfully roasty flavor profile.

Espresso Wonder courtesy of
Latte e Miele'sFacebook Page

Latte e Miele: 7809 Jefferson Hwy.

If you’re looking for the land of milk and honey, you’ve found it…literally. Translated, Latte e Miele is milk and honey. Owner, Luca DiMartino was born in Rome and wanted to merge Italian technique with southern influences. The product is Latte e Miele: a chef-driven café that grew out of its old home on Highland Road and now finds itself as a staple of the Bocage area. Baton Rouge native Marcus Day (Executive Chef) focuses on a menu that changes weekly with ingredients from local farmers. This is a place that will take you to everything from local pork to authentic gelato and all the espresso in-between.

Bite and Booze Bonus: While you can taste them all, you have to try their signature Gelato and namesake: Milk & Honey. It can be a cure for virtually anything that ails you.

Magpie Café: 3205 Perkins Rd.
After a decent amount of traveling and ongoing search for the ideal coffee shop at each destination, owners James and Lina Jacobs decided they would start their own at home. Using “slow bar” single cup brewing practices often seen in Portland or Seattle, Magpie focuses on local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. They are a killer espresso bar and there are some crazy good local eats coming out of that kitchen. Their offerings change every day and you have to get them while they're hot, because once they're gone, they're gone.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Get whoever is working the espresso/coffee bar to fix a Pour Over for you. They'll tell you all about why this is the freshest coffee you'll sip. Also, check out this video that I did with James for 225: Into the Mix to learn more about Magpie.

Strands Cafe: 226 Laurel St.
I walked into Strands Café on a chilly day to have an early lunch and cup of coffee…what I got was an explosion of flavor. They have a heft pastry selection and brews ranging from Cuban Espresso to Old World Toffee Lattés, which might be my favorite. Family owned and operated, they specialize in their confections. When you walk up to the counter you see a case full of delicious chocolate creations that I can never resist. Whether you’re looking for a delicious little breakfast or lunch, a bold brew or a bite of chocolate—Strands can hook you up.

Bite and Booze Bonus: Try the Frittata du Jour with a La Cubana espresso. Or just get a croissant. Man are those good croissants.

Triumph Kitchen: 320 Third St.
As the new kids on the block, Triumph Kitchen opened their doors to the public on Feb. 28, 2014. While it serves the community primarily as a non-profit culinary education venue for at-risk youth, every morning students are slinging freshly brewed Community Coffee, lattes, and cappuccinos. Matt Saurage, Chairman of the Board for Community Coffee donated the coffee bar setup for the students to help them raise money for the venue and prepare them in the art of being a barista.

Bite and Booze Bonus: If you’re just looking for a cup of coffee in the morning, drop by Triumph and get a cup of coffee for whatever you can donate in the tip jar. All money donated for brewed coffee goes directly to helping out this cool cause in our community.

2012 Chefs to Watch Dinner with Louisiana Cookin' Magazine

Every year, Louisiana Cookin' Magazine names five up and coming Louisiana chefs as their Chefs to Watch.  The chefs then create a five course menu that is cooked up at the Chefs to Watch dinner in New Orleans to benefit Cafe Reconcile.  Fortunately for me, I got to attend this year's event to see what sort of wizardry the chefs could cook up.  Unfortunately for me, I showed up "slightly late" and did not receive any of the pre-dinner cocktails or passed hors d'oeuvres.  This is the second year that that's happened to me.  I understand keeping a tight schedule with so much going on, but this time I was really bummed.  I actually arrived right on time, and plenty of people were still up an mingling.  Oh well... with a five course dinner awaiting all paired with wine from Republic, I knew I wouldn't leave hungry or entirely sober.

Shrimp and Andouille Beignets with Crawfish Corn Maque Choux

Chef Zac Watters, executive chef of Zachary's in Mandeville, presented the initial dish to the crowd of over 400 people at Harrah's.  His shrimp and andouille beignets were set atop crawfish corn maque choux to provide a duo of classic Louisiana flavors.  He then added a little ravigote sauce with onion, lemon, dijon mustard, and more to give the dish a little pizzaz.  The dish got the entire meal off to a great start.  The beignets were unique and rather tasty and the corn carried enough pop to whet the palate for the wine and more great grub.

Smoked Tomato Soup with White Wine Crab and Creme Fraiche

Chef Ryan Andre from Le Creole in Baton Rouge ladled up the next dish for the hungry guests.  His smoked tomato soup with white wine crab and creme fraiche proved to be a real hit at my table.  Garnished with a little basil-infused olive oil, the orange tinted soup had a rich smokey flavor from the tomatoes that paired extremely well with the extra sweet crab that had been sauteed in butter and white wine.

Goat Cheese and Blueberry Salad with Pistachios and Blueberry-Vodka Vinaigrette

The salad course came from Chef Lindsay Mason of Cristiano Ristorante in Houma.  His goat cheese and blueberry salad also contained a blueberry-vodka vinaigrette which had me rather intrigued.  Chef reduced the vodka and burnt off the alcohol before adding it to the blender with blueberries, dijon mustard, and garlic, then he drizzled in olive oil while pureeing the dressing.  I could have used a good bit more on my salad, but I liked the thought of it nevertheless.

Zapp's-Crusted Cobia with Garden Vegetable Hash and Smoked Tomato Butter Sauce

Smoked tomatoes showed up once again in our main course of the evening.  This time they were used in a butter sauce surrounding a gorgeous piece of fish topped with a Louisiana shrimp by Chef Brad McGehee of Ye Olde College Inn in New Orleans.  The cobia, a rather fishy fish, was coated in a mixture of Zapp's Crawtators and crumbled andouille.  After baking in the overn the fish were plated with a vegetable hash of Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, corn, and more.  The delicious butter sauce also contained a hint of booze in the form of Herbsaint.  I thought the overall dish was pretty nice and perhaps one of my favorite preparations of cobia that I've had.

Toasted Grits Waffle with Buttermilk Ice Cream and Bacon Caramel Sauce

Chef Manny Augello from Jolie's Bistro in Lafayette presented the dessert with his take on a breakfasty "Bacon and Waffle."  The grits in the waffle batter provided a unique flavor and texture to the base of the dessert.  However, it was the buttermilk ice cream that stole the show.  Along with the bacon caramel sauce, the ice cream had a magically satisfying flavor and texture to round out the stellar meal.

My compliments to all the chefs who prepared the meal as well as everyone else who helped them out in the kitchen.  Also congrats to the chefs and to Louisiana Cookin' for putting on such a great dinner for a wonderful cause.  Not only does the Chefs to Watch dinner serve as a tremendous way to recognize young culinary talent in our state, but it also provides much needed resources to Cafe Reconcile so that they can provide job training and education in the culinary arts to at-risk populations in New Orleans.

Bite and Booze Around the Dome

If you're going to be in New Orleans on Monday for the BCS National Championship you'll certainly have multiple options for food and beverage.  Whether looking for a place to pre-game prior to heading into the stadium or looking for a spot to actually watch the epic LSU vs Alabama showdown, sports fans will be in a sea of college football frenzy in the Big Easy.  

Ste. Marie Cocktails

I recently got to do a little hopping around to some interesting spots in downtown New Orleans.  I checked out Ste. Marie, Capdeville, and Whiskey Blue.  I've wanted to eat at Ste. Marie for a while so I was definitely excited to start the little trek there.  The manager brought out three signature cocktails to help get us started with our evening.  Beverage one, which really speaks my language, is dubbed the Scarlett O'Hara.  It combines bourbon and gin with some soda to make a refreshing cocktail that is well balanced and flavorful.  The food at Ste. Marie certainly impressed as well.

Ste. Marie's Gnocchi

Their signature dish is a gnocchi with pancetta, butternut squash, and cauliflower.  It is, quite simply, and amazing dish.  The potato dumplings burst with flavor in the sea of delicious sauce that surrounds them.  We also tried the lobster mac and cheese featuring large chunks of lobster knuckle meat as well as gruyere, fontina, and parmesan cheeses.  Finally, we cooled things off a bit with a superb tuna tartare.  The raw tuna was flavored with coriander and topped with an avocado mousse.  Ste. Marie will have multiple TVs with the game playing on Monday and will be serving a normal dinner menu.  I'd call now to make a reservation before they run out of space!      

Ste. Marie's Lobster Mac and Cheese

Ste. Marie's Tuna Tartare

Capdeville's Speakeasy and Dietzen's Whiskey Smash

Capdeville is a bar and restaurant that is far more in my every day enjoyment zone.  The gastropub is a rock and roll whiskey bar just a block or so off of Poydras.  Their modern adaptations of some typical comfort foods can make anybody both intrigued to experiment and incredibly happy with classic flavors.  

Owner... ahem... Mayor James started us with a couple whiskey cocktails.  Actually, he started us with a little taste of a Utah whiskey that was a bourbon-rye blend.  I didn't realized they made whiskey in Utah!  Then we got a sample of the Speakeasy and the Dietzen's Whiskey Smash.  The Speakeasy is a little Bulleit Bourbon with St. Germaine, a trendy elderflower liqueur, and a splash of orange blossom water.  I enjoyed the beverage immensely!  The Dietzen's Whiskey Smash, which has a story to the name that you'll have to get from James, is a play on the classic cocktail.  It uses Rebel Reserve, orange curacao, lemon juice, and mint.  

Capdeville's Truffled Mac and Cheese

As far as food, we got a sampling of the truffle mac and cheese, red beans and rice balls, and meat pies.  The truffle mac impressed the Hell out of me because of its change from the norm.  While it was mac and cheese, it wasn't ridiculously cheesy.  While it said truffle, the truffle oil wasn't used in irresponsible excess.  The dish also had parmesan, brown sugar, sage, and peas to create a memorable dish that should be tried, for sure.  Of equal but entirely different note, the red beans and rice balls were interesting and quite delightful.  Just like a boudin ball, the mixture is balled up, battered, and deep fried for delivery in a crisp shell of deliciousness.  Paired with a green onion aioli and reduced hot sauce, these red beans and rice balls are not something to shy away from!  Capdeville is open from 11 AM to 1 AM on game day so make sure to swing by before, during, or after the big party in the dome.

Capdeville's Red Beans and Rice Balls

Finally, we also got to swing by Whiskey Blue in the W Hotel on Poydras.  They had several cocktails to taste and a batch of crawfish beignets that I couldn't resist.  We began with a black raspberry martini featuring Belvedere Black Raspberry Vodka, fresh raspberries, mint, lime, and a splash of champagne.  It wasn't quite my cocktail of choice, but he next one I could drink over and over again.  The Coconut Basil Gimlet used Ciroc Coconut Vodka, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and fresh basil.  The refreshing mixture took me to the beach while at the same time had a wonderful balance that didn't blow me away with unnecessary sweetness.  

Whiskey Blue's Black Raspberry Martini and Coconut Basil Gimlet

When the order of crawfish beignets came out to the bar I couldn't resist diving in.  How can you go wrong combining a couple of New Orleans's favorite foods?  The beignets had crawfish and corn rolled into a great base and batter then fried to a crisp outside with a dense, moist center.  The beignets themselves did not pack much of a kick, but plenty of spice came with a dip in the Creole tartar sauce that accompanied the beignets.  Whiskey Blue opens at 5 PM on game day.  After the game, from 10 PM to 2 AM, they'll have an event with a DJ, promoter, and no cover!

Whiskey Blue's Crawfish Beignets with Creole Tartar Sauce

Finally, let me finish by saying GEAUX TIGERS!!  Happy eating and drinking!