Jay D's Bites: Molasses Mustard Salmon

by Aimee Tortorich

Salmon is one of those proteins that never gets old and can be prepared multiple ways. It has amazing health benefits with vital nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, B12, and Vitamin D. Naturally, salmon works very well mustard so it was a no-brainer when we decided to use Jay D’s Molasses Mustard. The sweetness from the molasses pairs well with the tanginess of the mustard and adds a perfect touch of flavor to salmon while the rub gives it a spicy, smokey kick.

Molasses Mustard Salmon

Yield 4-6 servings

4 salmon filets
1/4 cup Jay D’s Molasses Mustard
1 Tbs of Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Mix mustard and rub together and set aside. Pat salmon filets dry and place skin side down on an oiled, foil-lined sheet pan. Add the Spicy & Sweet Rub/Molasses Mustard mixture to the tops of the filets and bake in oven for 12-15 minutes.

Snapshot of Santo Domingo: Blair's Favorite Moments in the Dominican Republic

by Blair Loup

Working at Bite and Booze is an ongoing whirlwind. I’ve gotten more out of this job than I could have ever imagined. I figured out early in my time working with Jay to never turn down an opportunity to have a good time because those times usually turn out to be unbelievable experiences.

Since turning 25 in January, I’ve dubbed this the “Year of Blair,” so when the Dominican Republic’s Magistry of Tourism invited me to travel to Santo Domingo, I couldn’t say no. 

My journey got off to a rocky start with plane drama, but after a stop in Atlanta and a gin martini at JFK, I made it to Santo Domingo. My sleepy friend and fellow travel writer/blogger Caroline Eubanks of This is My South and Caroline in the City met me in the lobby with a Presidente. 

I didn’t know it at the time, but holding a cold Presidente wrapped in a tiny white napkin was #soDR. 

Despite its rocky start, the rest of my time in Santo Domingo quickly overshadowed the previous day with bright colors, interesting characters and culinary moments worthy of this epic “Year of Blair.” Here are some of my favorite Dominican Republic experiences: 

Sancocho in the sun... 

Local chef Martín Omar González Mayí explained the lengthy process of making a traditional stew. Cooked down yucca, potatoes and other tubers combined with leaves from native plants like those seen in the pictures from the Mercado Modelo come together with different cuts of beef or pork. Typically served over rice, Sancocho isn’t too far from the stews and Cajun dishes of Louisiana. 

Chef Martín Omar's Sancocho served over rice with freshly sliced avocado.

Feasting on fried snacks in Boga Chica... 

This local gathering spot is a great way to beach bum it, enjoy a few boat drinks and get your snack on. Vendors line the street selling whole fried fish, plantains, sweet potatoes and “Johnny Cakes” (fried sheets of dough) and carry them across the street for your beach munching pleasure. 

Fried whole fish, sweet potatoes, plantains, and "Johnny Cakes" at Boga Chica.

Discovering a natural alternative to the Jolly Rancher... 

I learned Cocoa Pods contain delicious fruit that surrounds the beans. It’s super slimy but juicy and tasty beyond all reason. We got the chance to learn about the process of roasting and peeling the cocoa beans on a family's small plantation. Let me tell you, there's nothing like fresh hot chocolate!

A fresh Cocoa pod sliced open. Look at all that juicy goodness!

Drinking Presidentes at the Colmado... 

These tiny corner stores are brightly lit and carry everything from cigarettes to toilet paper. That list also includes the Dominican Republic’s answer to water: Presidente. Me and a few of the other writers had a great conversation with a lovely elderly English-speaking man sipping our beer from tiny dentist office cups while a couple danced to some Marc Anthony. Life made.

Our lovely English-speaking friend at the Colmado and our bomber bottles of Presidente.

Pollo Guisado Pit Stop... 

On the way to the Ron Barcelo Rum Distillery, we made a stop at a roadside eatery. Similar to a lunch line/plate lunch eatery you might find in Louisiana, this place had avocado salad, whole fried fish, tamales, rice, etc. I went for the Pollo Guisado, bone in chicken stewed down with tomatoes, onions and spices typically served over rice. Jay Ducote sings the praises of this dish regularly, and it did not disappoint!

A bowl of Pollo Guisado accompanied by fresh chunks of avocado and a Presidente.

This trip to Santo Doming, DR was provided through trade with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism.

Photo Essay: A look at Santo Domingo's Mercado Modelo

by Blair Loup

I recently ate and drank my way through Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, and while at times things were very foreign to me, most of the time it felt a lot like home. It was hot, humid and I almost always had a beer in my hand.

The Mercado Modelo is full of interesting characters and beautiful produce. I had a few bites, got proposed to and snapped some gorgeous pictures.

Below you'll find a visual tour of the market. Be on the lookout for a post on all my experiences in the Dominican Republic!

Plantain carts and motorcycles. This is Santo Domingo.

Habaneros with a side of eggplant.

Peppers and potatoes.

Macadamia nuts.

Yucca is almost guaranteed to be on every table in the Dominican Republic.

Salted fish.

Drying flowers hang in nearly every booth.

Assorted hanging meats.

Bottles full of roots are strung up all over. Pour rum inside and you'll have Mamajuana, a local aphrodisiac.

While this man hacked heads of cabbage into slaw at an alarming rate, he also took the time to propose.
We haven't set a date yet.

4ft. tall cinnamon sticks. No joke.

Seeds and fresh eggs.

Flowers, grass reeds and palm leaves.

The prettiest beans in all the land.

The cashew fruit.

Bird's Eye chilis.

This trip to Santo Doming, DR was provided through trade with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism.

Month of Salads: Barefoot's at the Hilton Sandestin

Blackened Grouper Salad at Barefoot's

by Jay D. Ducote

Sometimes I just need to eat a salad, and thus, two years ago I created the Month of Salads on Bite and Booze. The idea is two-fold: first, I need to eat more salads and this seemed like a good way to trick myself into feasting like a rabbit. Secondly, salads CAN be good, and we here at Bite and Booze need to focus a little more on them. So now every August on the blog that's what we do.

Recently on a trip to Destin for the Beer Industry League of Louisiana's annual convention, I enjoyed several meals with beach views at Barefoot's, a poolside bar and grill at the Hilton Sandestin. For one of those meals, as the Month of Salads is designed to encourage me to do, I ordered a salad.

I went with a blackened grouper salad, served with an adequately spiced fish over a bed of organic mixed greens with spiced pecans, roma tomatoes, carrot strings, and a citrus vinaigrette. The tartness from the lemon added a nice balance to the blackening spices on the fish. The rest of the salad did its job as the pecans added a delightful textural balance. And the other good news: I felt pretty light and chipper for the rest of my day at the beach!

My First Thoughts on Crispy Catch

by Jay D. Ducote

First things first: I enjoyed the food. No, it didn't stand out as revolutionary, inventive, or inspired. Then again, I don't believe anybody ever said that it would be. Crispy Catch is what it is – a place to get fried catfish fingers, fries, hushpuppies (or as they call them, corn bobbers), and boudin balls akin to Tony's Seafood, which are some of the most snackable and magical boudin balls in the world. They finished second in our ranking of Baton Rouge balls. The restaurant itself is a new fast-casual concept seeking to bring the flavors of Louisiana to a hungry audience.

Immediately upon walking up to the restaurant that has been built out of the old, iconic Kean's Dry Cleaning building near the Perkins Road overpass, you get the sense that they are going for something bigger than just one location. The branding screams corporate, like they've already designed their logo and color palate to expand to numerous locations. It may work. There is clear evidence of utilizing a Raising Cane's model, which certainly paid dividends for them.

Catfish Fingers at the new Crispy Catch on Perkins

Like Cane's, which started at the nearby North Gates of LSU, Crispy Catch offers a welcoming environment and a simple menu. There are four main combinations to order with different amounts of fried catfish and extras. They also offer fish tacos, which I definitely want to try but haven't yet. I opted for the Surf & Turf combo – the meal that came with boudin balls in addition to the catfish, fries, cole slaw, and hush puppies. The total for the entire plate and a drink came out to just over $13.

Based on the way the combo came out on a plate with fries and catfish fingers, I couldn't help but to think of Cane's and their chicken fingers with crinkle cut fries. They even had their signature "Reel Sauce," a remoulade style sauce very similar to Cane's Sauce. All in all, the fries weren't all that much to speak of, though they were fries, and certainly not bad. They were plentiful and thin cut, but not to the point of being shoestring.The cole slaw offered very little to my taste buds, though I suppose a little tang to go with all the fried food isn't bad.

Compared to Cane's (not they have to be compared to Cane's, but they brought the compare and contrast on themselves), I noticed the absence of fresh squeezed lemonade and really good sweet tea. The beverage options were pretty much limited to a Coca-Cola lineup of fountain drinks, which I feel can be improved upon. If you want to be a local joint, bring in a cooler with some Swamp Pop and other regional beverages. If the idea is to build something that can be scaled to many locations, and you're copying Cane's anyway, don't underestimate the value of the beverages.

Another thing that makes Crispy Catch fast-casual but not necessarily "fast food" is that there is no drive through. Nothing wrong with that, though the convenience sales to night-owls in the overpass area could be a good business model. That being said, as of now the hours at Crispy Catch don't go into the late night market anyway.

The star of the show definitely proved to be the fried fish, with a nod to the boudin balls as well. At the end of the day, a place is judged on what they truly claim to be good at, and at Crispy Catch that's the USA farm raised catfish fingers. The don't do any whole filets of catfish. They don't fry shrimp or any other Louisiana seafood. The star of their limited menu is the catfish, and it lived up to expectations. The slender strips of catfish are marinated and battered in seasoned flour. It is a departure from the more common cornmeal style fish fry base around here, but I didn't mind. The catfish indeed had plenty of crispiness. The reel sauce and the house tartar sauce were both great dips for the catfish.

I also can't complain about the hush puppies or boudin balls. I'd even go back for the boudin balls. They really are very similar to Tony's, which again, is good in my book. In fairness, the owners of Crispy Catch are tied to the family that owns Tony's, though they no long share any stock in the famous seafood market. Still, I can see why if they wanted to put boudin balls on the menu that they'd go with a replica of the Italian-inspired boudin ball.

I can see myself going back to Crispy Catch, but I don't know how often. The very limited menu will make it hard to go often. And the fact that they aren't as convenient nor do they have all the intangibles as Cane's means they won't really get the quick-meal-on-my-way-home kind of business. And as much as I've compared Crispy Catch to Raising Cane's, it is missing perhaps the most important element: the "One Love" motto and attitude. I didn't feel it. I just had a decent fried catfish platter, but nothing else about the experience would make me identify with the brand. Perhaps in time they'll find their own motto.

The 10 Best Bites of Food I Ate in 2014

I've had the chance to travel fairly extensively around Louisiana and across the country this year, and along the way I've tasted some extraordinary dishes. I wanted to end the year with a bang by sharing the ten best bites of food to come across my taste buds this year. It proved to be no easy task, but each of these culinary creations struck a chord within me. Each picture brings back fond memories similar to those you'd feel when reconnecting with an old friend. These dishes trigger automatic salivation, instant warmth, and big smiles. While to some this may sound dramatic, those who've experienced such a dish will understand completely. In descending order, I give you my ten favorite dishes of 2014.

1) The Black Drum at Village Café in Lafayette

While filming at Village Café for Louisiana Culinary Trails, I had the pleasure of trying Chef Jeremy Conner's stuffed fish: Louisiana black drum stuffed with lump crab meat and pan seared served over squash and topped with a lemon crab butter sauce. I can taste this dish all over again each time I look at this picture. It was one of the most perfectly cooked pieces of Gulf seafood I've ever had, and that's even after waiting for the cameras to stop rolling before taking a bite. The velvety butter sauce had a citrus tang that complimented the sweetness of the crab and mild flavors of the Black Drum. This dish, which is always on the menu in some form, represents Gulf fish the the way it is meant to be eaten and most certainly is a must try.

The Black Drum at Village Café in Lafayette

2) The Oyster Stuffed Quail over Pumpkin Purée at Le Foret in New Orleans

I had the opportunity to dine at Le Foret in New Orleans a couple of times this year. Each trip provided exceptional bites. The plating and flavor profiles of Chef Brandon Felder's dishes are off the charts. Packed with Gulf oysters and set atop a beautiful artwork of pumpkin puree and other delicious sauces, this quail dish was so quintessentially Fall I could hear leaves crisping under my every step.

The Oyster Stuffed Quail over Pumpkin Purée at Le Foret in New Orleans

3) The Chicken Curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant in Baton Rouge

Over the course of several weeks, my Chief Confusion Coordinator, Blair Loup, and I visited the Vietnamese restaurants of Baton Rouge for a pho round-up post. In doing so, we stumbled upon a surprising and incredibly delicious bowl of chicken curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant. In addition to having the best pho in town, they also have this golden beauty. Curry isn't something you see often in Vietnamese cuisine and while it caught me off guard to find it on their specials menu in the first place, the bowl of chicken curry with layers of citrus and coconut flavors served with rice noodles is something I will order time and time again.

The Chicken Curry at Dang's Vietnamese Restaurant in Baton Rouge

4) The Japanese Kobe Beef at Ember Wine Bar & Grille in Lake Charles

I've never had steak like this before, and that's saying something. A few other steaks were in the running for my favorite chunk of beef this year. The bone-in ribeye from Doe's Eat Place in Baton Rouge, the classic Florentine porterhouse from Carnevino in Las Vegas, and the New York Strip from 33 Steak in New Orleans all placed highly on my beef-o-meter, but this beauty from Ember at the L'Auberge in Lake Charles, Louisiana wins the blue ribbon. The beauty of being based out of a casino is to be able to play within your food service outlets, and Chef Mark Chapman knows exactly what kind of fun to have. He imports this authentic Japanese Kobe Beef and sells it for $30/ounce with a minimum order of four ounces. For you people who struggle with math, that means that the cheapest you can get a taste of this steak butter is $120, and that's still not quite the size of a respectable petite filet. But damn is it worth it! The marbling in the beef is unlike any I've seen in person. Seared to a glorious rare temperature, the shingled beef is as close as you could imagine to a breathtaking bite of beef bacon packed with umami.

The Japanese Kobe Beef at Ember Wine Bar & Grille in Lake Charles

5) The Crispy Pig Ear Salad at Sojourn in New Orleans

Sojourn chef Jeff Williams invited me via Twitter to attend his first tasting menu pop-up dinner in New Orleans. The courses were some of the more inspired dishes upon which I have feasted. As I'm sure you know, I'm not much of a salad guy, but Chef Jeff's crispy pig ear salad is something I could eat on a daily basis. Crisp, local greens sprinkled with strips of crunchy and salty pig ear and sweet baby carrots were brightened with a peppery horseradish vinaigrette and balanced brilliantly with grated egg yolk. The flavors erupted upon my taste buds in ways that very few salads ever have, making my only complaint to be that I haven't had it since that night.

Sojourn's Crispy Pig Ear Salad in New Orleans

6) The Tuna and Grapefruit at Lucy B. Goode in Gulf Shores, Alabama

On a media trip to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach this past summer I had the pleasure of dining at Lucy B Goode. In an area ruled by tasty but all-too-often deep fried Gulf seafood, Lucy B Goode boasts contemporary dishes featuring locally sourced ingredients from area farms. Chef Randall Baldwin started us out with an off-menu appetizer which included only a few simple ingredients. Slices of fresh tuna and ripe grapefruit were adorned with celery leaves for a sharp contrast to the sweet juiciness of the dish which he finished with sea salt, cracked black pepper, and a light drizzling of sesame oil. The subtle flavors of the tuna and grapefruit fused together like the crescendo in a lovely score.

Tiled Fresh Tuna and Grapefruit Slices with Celery Stems at Lucy B. Goode in Gulf Shores

7) The Barbecue Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City, Missouri

A month before I launched Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce I found myself on a bachelor party adventure for my brother Eric. We just so happened to trek to the barbecue mecca that is Kansas City where I set my sights on the legendary smoked meats institution called Arthur Bryant's. Our hungover bachelor party gang showed up ready to devour some Que, so after ordering heaping portions of nearly everything on the menu, we sat down to chow down on heavenly swine and bovine. The pork spare ribs were of worthwhile wonder as if the pit-masters had wept tears of deliciousness over these bones. Few ribs have boasted the superior texture and flavor of these magically smoked morsels of pig.

Pork Spare Ribs at Arthur Bryant's in Kansas City

8) The Homemade Poptart at Magpie Cafe in Baton Rouge

All hail the Magpie poptart. Every kid who grew up in the 90's knows the Kelloggs version all too well. Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon could do me no wrong. Naturally, when I heard that Magpie Café  made a homemade rendition of the poptart, I knew I had to try it. They're typically made on Saturday mornings, but every now and then you can find the folks over at Magpie sneaking it into their weekday breakfast offerings. You may be saying, "Jay, a poptart? Really? With all of the wonderful things you've had to eat how did this make the list?" Well, I'll enlighten you. Not only is Magpie's version on the poptart euphorically delectable, it also gets bonus points on principle. The nostalgia it represents creates an experience that is at once memorable and triumphant above the original. Plus, the fact that someone thought up an idea like making a badass version of the poptart deserves recognition.

A Blueberry Poptart at Magpie Café in Baton Rouge

9) The Pork Belly Ramen at Bread and Circus Provisions in Lafayette

Lafayette has always had some amazing food, but right now their food scene seems to be exponentially exploding. Getting to experience some of the state's creations through filming the Louisiana Culinary Trails has been some of the most fun I've had this year. Shortly after visiting Village Café, we hopped over to Bread & Circus Provisions to see what Chef Manny Augello had going on in his kitchen. I sampled several of Chef's dishes, but this Pork Belly Ramen stole my heart. Legitimate ramen is hard to come by in Louisiana and it's exciting to find it in places you wouldn't expect. The vegetation gave an earthy taste to the creamy broth and I firmly believe that pork belly makes most things better. You'll definitely want to stop by Bread & Circus if you're anywhere around Lafayette area... you won't be disappointed!

The Pork Belly Ramen at Bread & Circus Provisions in Lafayette

10) The Hog Bone from Bacon Rouge's Chef Alex Hamman at Hogs for the Cause in New Orleans

One of the more underrated bites I've had this year came from Chef Alex Hamman's Hog Bone. I have competed in an all pork cook-off by the name of Hogs for the Cause for the past couple of years. Not only have our numbers increased for team Bacon Rouge, but so has the talent. Pastry Chef Instructor for the Louisiana Culinary Institute Alex Hamman created the Hog Bone for the Porkpouri (wild card) category in the 2014 competition. Our entire team watched in a state of shock when it didn't place in the top 10 because the flavors were so beautifully layered and innovative. Chef made a homemade cheese cracker as the base for a slightly spicy tasso and cracklin dust base that was then coated in velvety chocolate. The hog bone had all of the elements: sweet, crunchy, smoky, porky, and spicy, and they were devoured in no time. Chef Alex displayed some extreme skill in this whimsical creation and I can't wait to see what he comes up with for the 2015 Hogs for the Cause (which you can buy tickets for now... make sure to list "Bacon Rouge" as the team who referred you)!

The Hog Bone: Tasso, Cracklin Dust, Homemade Cheese Cracker invented by Alex Hamman for Team Bacon Rouge

Chef Scott Varnedoe's James Beard House Meal

Chef Scott Varnedoe from Baton Rouge's Restaurant IPO cooked at the James Beard House in New York City on Wednesday, March 26th. I'd like to congratulate him on the accomplishment of cooking there for the fourth time! Baton Rouge locals are proud of our food scene, and it shows! From hands-on activities to James Beard recognized chefs, a new walking food tour, cooking schools and new restaurants joining the ranks of old favorites, Baton Rouge is making a name for itself in the culinary world. Chef sang the praises of Visit Baton Rouge and Louisiana Seafood in the Big Apple and before his big trip, Chef Varnedoe hosted a preview dinner of his James Beard House menu. It was quite the feast--the weather was perfect, and the wines and Tin Roof beers were deliciously paired! Check out the menu that he served in New York!

Crawfish & Tasso Deviled Egg topped with a crispy Fried Oyster and Bacon Fennel Jam

Rockefeller "Louisiana Style" Arancini with Pernod Venetian Gel and Micro Tarragon

Charbroiled Louisiana Gulf Oyster with Herbed Lemon-Horseradish Brown Butter

South pass Shrimp and Wild Mushroom Café Au Lait with a Shrimp & Truffle Beignet

Pan-Seared "Scallops" of Grouper on a Smoked Gouda Corn Grit Cake and Bacon Blistered Kale in a Tasso Broth.
Topped with a Petit Salad of Candied Lemon and Watermelon Radish tossed in a Sherry-Brown Butter Vinaigrette

Jumbo Lump Crab and Potato Goat Cheese Gnocchi tossed in a Louisiana Sweet Corn, Sherry, and Parmesan-Truffle Sauce topped with Collard Green Pesto and a Micro Salad of Brussels Sprouts, Tiny Basil, Heirloom Tomatoes and Cajun Spiced Popcorn.

Cornmeal and Bergeron Pecan Encrusted-Pan Seared Wild Catfish set atop Atchafalaya Basin "Crawfish Creole" Risotto with Shaved Romano and Toasted Butter Crawfish "Pollen" and Micro Tarragon and Celery

Banana Bread French Toast with Buttermilk Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Toasted Candied Pecans, Brulée Bananas, Banana's Foster Brown Butter Sauce with Minted White Chocolate Powder and Banana Pop Rocks

La Truffe Sauvage in Lake Charles, LA

La Truffe Sauvage in Lake Charles, LA

Lake Charles not only impressed me with the tour around town, boudin and cracklins, and seafood feasting, but at night we also got to experience a spectacular meal at Lake Charles' premiere fine dining restaurant. La Truffe Sauvage is a French style eatery that clearly puts a lot of passion behind their food. We went through a culinary journey on a wine dinner the night before Lake Charles' annual Rouge et Blanc wine festival. I'll attempt to walk you through all the courses as I salivate while I remind myself of all the deliciousness. The Hors d'Oeuvres, not pictured here, included octopus with extra virgin olive oil, lemon, and oregano, Parmigiana Reggiano crusted asparagus with sauce verte, white truffle macaroni and cheese with beef tenderloin, and duck confit with onion marmalade. Served with some bubbly, a Gosset Brut Excellence, the passed appetizers prepared us for our sensational meal from Chef Mohamed Chettouh and wine pairings by D.C. Flynt.

Louisiana Jumbo Lump Crab Cake and Shrimp Bourek

Our first seated course came in the form of a shrimp stuffed Turkish pastry atop a luscious crab cake and a red, green, and yellow tomato relish. The dish paired with a Fevre et Fevre 2011 Chablis. I really appreciated the combination of flavors and techniques between south Louisiana and a dish like Bourek which dates back the Ottoman Empire.

Crispy Red Snapper, Porcini Mushroom Risotto, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lemon

Course two stayed in the seafood category and again combined a classic Louisiana protein with a European starch. The creamy porcini mushroom risotto gave an earthy flavor that contrasted the brightness from the lemon and the acidity in the wine, a Meursault Clos du Cromin 2011 from winemaker David Moret in the Burgundy region of France. The dish really dazzled even more due to the true crispiness of the skin on the red snapper. It added a depth of texture next to the risotto and flesh of the Gulf fish.

Double Duck Consomme, Poached Quail Egg, Rice Noodles, Asparagus Tips, White Truffle Oil

For a soup course we feasted on a duck consomme. The flavorful broth conjured up memories of duck hunting and my childhood... not that I ever ate anything quite like this growing up. A couple 2010 wines from Roland Rapet were served with the duck conomme: a Aloxe Corton and the Corton Grand Cru. Both were stellar accompaniments to the delicious consomme. The poached quail egg also added a great richness in the soup.

Colorado Lamb Two Ways: Roasted Rack & Braised Shoulder, Spanakopita, Ratatouille, Natural Jus 

I looked forward to this lamb course the most and fortunately it did not disappoint. Getting back to eastern European flavors, Chef Mohamed used lamb to create a magical dish. The spanakopita is a Greek style savory spinach pie, which this time also included braised lamb shoulder. The ratatouille came wrapped in cucumber and the lamb chops were delightful. I love lamb. I think I remember sneaking another chop off somebody else's plate to get more. They were full already anyway! The lamb course also came with a pair of wines for us try. This time from Bernard Gros, we had the Vosne Romanee 2008 and the Clos Vougeot Grand Cru "Musigni" 2006. I need to learn more about French wine. I just know it was red and delicious.

Warm Montrachet with Thyme, Heirloom Tomato, Arugula, Herb Cracker, Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

The salad and cheese course finished off the savory part of the meal. I liked having the salad toward the end as opposed to at the beginning of the feast. I still had a little room for some greenery, so I made it work. The warm cheese worked extremely well with the green tomato and the spicy arugula with the roasted shallot vinaigrette. 

Rum Savarin, White Chocolate - Passion Fruit Mousse, Almond Tuile

The savarin is a yeast cake soaked in rum (or it could be a different hard liquor) and filled with cream. I personally did not find the texture to be all that appealing as it was like a soggy donut, but the flavors were certainly well conceived and delicious. The dessert came served with the Kracher Trockenbeerenauslese. Yes, that's really what it is called. Mr. Kracher is apparently one of the bigger names in Austrian wine and the Trockenbeerenauslese is a style of German and Austrian wine making that produces a very sweet dessert wine from dried grapes with high sugar content. Like I said, I could really use some lessons in European wines, so if anyone is reading this and wants to send me on an adventure around Europe doing "professional development," just let me know!

Assorted Truffles

Second dessert? Yes, please! The meal didn't fully end after the rum savarin course. We still had time for coffee, and along with coffee came some assorted truffles for our dining pleasure. I ate a couple for research purposes, but by that time I had reached my limit and was stuffed. What an amazing meal. Thanks to Chef Mohamed, D.C. Flynt, and everyone at La Truffe Sauvage for having me, as well as the Lake Charles CVB for lining it all up for us. The next day we were off to Rouge et Blanc. More on that later.