Seed to Cup to Can: New Orleans Coffee Shop Doesn’t Have a Trash Bin?

by Emily Jean McCollister

HEY Coffee Co. is a New Orleans roastery and coffee shop producing high quality coffee with an emphasis on traceability from seed to cup to trash can. With two locations, one on Magazine St. and one on the Lafitte Greenway, the folks at Hey Coffee Co. are not your average micro-roaster. They are also a living example of a business that has an extremely low landfill dependency.

Photo: Emily Jean McCollister

The discussion of “seed-to-cup” is a familiar one in the specialty coffee scene. Simply put, seed to cup is the consideration of coffee from a seed planted in a nursery, through growth, harvesting, processing, sorting, bagging, exporting and finally, roasting and brewing. Thinking intentionally about all the hands involved in those steps, and caring about their quality of life, a specialty coffee shop wants to present a cup to their customer that’s more than just coffee: it’s a story. Although many shops think critically about where their coffee and materials come from, very rarely do they think about where things go when we’re done with them.

Easily the most eco-conscious coffee shop in South Louisiana, HEY Coffee Co. strives to be more and more sustainable with every day that passes. In 2018, they were recognized by Rubicon Global as Best in Louisiana, they then advanced as national finalists alongside 14 other environmentally conscious businesses in the United States for Best Business in America. 

Photo: Emily Jean McCollister

Tommy LeBlanc, one of the shop’s owners, started zeroing in on their composting program when he had difficulty with a city garbage contract in 2009. They began composting in partnership with Schmelly’s Dirt Farms. Today, nine years later, they have no trash can in either of their stores, at all.

Composting all food and coffee grinds is a radically positive environmental practice. Even if that were all a coffee shop did, it would have a dramatic impact. Food waste is one of the largest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions, when food is disposed in a landfill it rots and becomes a significant source of methane - a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

Embodying creativity, HEY Coffee Co. not only recycles and composts but also trades with local stores and secures homes for items like burlap and pallets, sending very little to the landfill.

Although LeBlanc has always been a nature lover who enjoyed camping and the great outdoors, he was once a standard American consumer. He certainly did not set out to operate an eco-friendly coffee shop when he opened Hey! Cafe. In 2009, he realized how incredibly dependent businesses were on waste pickup, and how much they were sending to the landfill. “We didn’t think about lowering our landfill dependency until the garbage company stopped picking up my trash, even though I was paying my bill,” LeBlanc remarked.

Through trying to get out of his contract with the waste disposal company he was using, he started research other waste disposal companies. “I realized that disposal companies are crooked. In addition to them being crooked toward me, they buy land near communities and essentially poison the areas nearby,” LeBlanc asserted, “In my research, I learned about all these lawsuits against waste companies and I wanted to challenge our need for them.”

Photo: Emily Jean McCollister

Traditional to-go cups at coffee shops are not recyclable at all. Disposable coffee cups are lined with plastic polyethylene, which makes the cups waterproof and able to hold liquid. Offering an in-house option of reusable cups, plates and utensils, HEY Coffee Co. is able to cut down on the waste. If you need your coffee or food to-go, you’ll receive a compostable option.

In more recent years, the team at HEY Coffee Co. has set up their own sparkling water to run through a tap line, totally knocking out the need for bottles and the waste that accompanies that, especially because New Orleans does not recycle glass.

They receive their whole milk from Progress Milk Barn in glass containers that are picked up on delivery and reused. They provide non-dairy milk options, some of which they make themselves. 

Photo: Emily Jean McCollister

The shop offers noodle straws, and a small stash of plastic ones, should you require one. They sell their roasted coffee in brown paper bags, they sell merchandise like coffee mugs and shirts, and they sell coffee equipment and even a few reusable containers.

The baristas sort waste in buckets behind the bar as they go. Removing the ability for a customer to accidentally sort incorrectly, and removing the weight of responsibility from their customers, they simply instruct you to place all your items in the bus bin. HEY Coffee employees sort out all waste at dish pit: compost, recycling, reusables, and landfill trash. 

Photo: Emily Jean McCollister

Today, HEY Coffee Co. does it all. Their mission statement from their website reads as follows
“presenting the utmost in community, hospitality and quality while advocating for equity and environmental justice at all levels of the coffee industry through radical conservation and supporting sustainable, traceable and ethical farming practices.”

Treating every customer as a friend, LeBlanc is kind, quick to laugh, and easy to talk to. Incredibly gracious and unassuming, you would maybe never know the great strides they take to make HEY Coffee a shop with low landfill dependency. Considering every step from seed, to cup, to waste bin -- HEY Coffee Co. is a neighborhood eco-friendly hot spot in New Orleans.

Feature Beer Friday: Gnarly Barley's Lion Up Wheat Ale

By Eric Ducote

Happy Black Friday to you all!  I sure hope everyone reading this is enjoying some quality time with friends and family and not fighting the crowds for the deals.  Or if you are out there shopping, maybe hit up some local small businesses.  Regardless, you're not going to find me joining in on the shopping madness!  For this week's offering I dug into the beer fridge to find something that was worthy of FBF praise, and found a can of Lion Up from Gnarly Barley Brewing.  

Gnarly Barley is no stranger to this space, and for good reason.  They put out some of the best beers in the state and the taproom is always a great spot to visit.  Co-owners Zac and Cari Caramonta are usually there hanging out and similarly to how LSU and Tin Roof put out the licensed Bayou Bengal, Gnarly Barley partnered with Southeastern Louisiana University to put out the licensed Lion Up.  It makes perfect sense with Gnarly Barley being located in Hammond and both Caramontas being alumni.  Lion Up is brewed with football season in mind, and although it's been cooler and dreary lately, most of football season in south Louisiana is on the warmer side, so this American Wheat Ale is brewed with late Summer and Fall in mind. 

Gnarly Barley's Lion Up Wheat Ale

The beer pours a deep yellow color, some haze from the heavy wheat bill, and a bubbly champagne-esque white head.  The aroma is very floral with some sweet notes from the malt underlying the Cascade and Amarillo hops.  The taste is clean and refreshing, with the hops holding up well to the wheat and barley base, giving the beer an excellent blend of sweet and bitter and packing plenty of flavor into the 4.5% abv.  The result is exactly what they describe it as, "an easy drinking beer, great for football season!" I could definitely see plenty of these making it into my cooler next year, unless the Tigers are playing the Lions again.

Cheers everyone, and I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!  

Burgers With Chuck: Building Dreams at Burgersmith

by Chuck P

My love for crazy burger combinations isn’t a secret. Even though nothing beats a good ol’ fashioned classic burger, sometimes throwing on insane ingredients to create the ultimate Frankenstein of burger creations is just a fun and delicious thing to do.

On a recent trip to the OG Burgersmith in Lafayette, Jay and I were tasked with the challenge of each creating our own special burger for a social media video they were doing on Facebook. Jay and I are not known for turning down a food challenge, so we gladly accepted. But we’re not here to discuss Jay’s burger baby. I’m here to bring a completely absurd spectacle of gluttony, deliciousness and eventually, complete misery to life! *Thunder claps*

Ladies and gents, I give you the Chuck P Ballpark Burger:

Look at that beast of a sandwich. It’s beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. What would lead someone to even begin to imagine such a culinary artery clogger? Basically, I’m a glutton for punishment. I wonder what the kitchen staffs’ faces look like when my order comes in...

My burger is pretty easy to figure out. It’s everything you’d find at a baseball game piled on to one big monster of a burger. I started with the classic Smith patty and a slice of American cheese. From there, I added their signature hot dog cut right down the middle and placed on top. To top it off, I smothered it all with chili cheese fries and stuck it all in the middle of two pretzel buns. If only I could have added nachos somewhere on there...

Logistically, trying to eat this thing as a burger is a sloppy nightmare. It quickly turned into a fork and knife meal. As tasty as everything was, this eventually turned into one of my not so classic Chuck P creations. Even I have to admit defeat sometimes.

If you’re feeling adventurous then head over to Burgersmith and order this beast for yourself. Just remember to have a knife and fork at the ready...and napkins, lots of napkins.

Check out the mastermind behind the burgers in the podcast recorded at Burgersmith in Lafayette:

Jay D's Bites: Supreme Rice Salad with Molasses Mustard Vinaigrette

by Chef Jenn Breithaupt

This is one of my favorite salads to make! I first had this salad when I was attending culinary school at Louisiana Culinary Institute. Chef Mike told us we are going to prepare it for our salad course for lunch service and it captivated me; I couldn’t stop eating it. I thought this would be the perfect salad to incorporate Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard. Another reason why I love this recipe is because of the freshness it brings to my palate; it is perfect for this Spring!

Supreme Rice Salad with Molasses Mustard Vinaigrette

makes 6 cups

3 cups uncooked Supreme long grain rice
1 cup red onion, small diced
¾ cup orange bell pepper, small diced
¾ cup yellow bell pepper, small diced
2 Tbs garlic, minced
1 cucumber, seeded and small diced
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

Cook rice according to package. Lay cooked rice on sheet pan to slightly cool. Combine rice with all vegetables and vinaigrette. Let rice salad marinade in dressing for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. Serve cold or room temperature. ENJOY!

For the vinaigrette:
Heaping ½ cup Jay D’s Louisiana Molasses Mustard
3 tsp salt
1 Tbs white wine vinegar
3 Tbs white balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs Jay D’s Blanc du Bois
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil

In a blender or food processor, add mustard and salt. On low, gradually add both vinegars and Jay D’s Blanc du Bois. In a thin stream add extra virgin olive oil. Mix for 1 minute then transfer to salad and mix thoroughly.

Burgers with Chuck: The Burger Pizza at Rotolo's Craft & Crust

by Chuck P

Ok everyone settle down. I know what you’re saying after reading that title. A hamburger pizza doesn’t qualify as a “burger” Chuck. You’re probably thinking I’ve lost my damn mind. Well folks, let me tell you about the Burger Pizza at the new Rotolo’s Craft & Crust.

First off let’s make it very clear. This is not your standard hamburger pizza by any means. This incredible concoction created by Mitch Rotolo Jr. is a pie straight out of my dreams. A perfect vision of combining two of my favorite foods into one gloriously delicious meal. Like, seriously. Looking at that picture has me craving one right now!

Let’s talk toppings. It’s pretty much everything you’d throw onto a standard burger. It’s got a mustard base, ground beef, grilled onions, mozzarella and is topped off with pickles and french fries-- French fries, people! I mean come on man! If that’s not a straight up burger pizza then I don’t know what is.

Taste-wise, it is completely spot on. Imagine it as if you’d taken the top bun off of your burger and ate it that way. Granted, no one really does that, I’m just trying to make a comparison. If I had one recommendation I would do like a Thousand Island dressing drizzle on it which would give it almost a Big Mac kinda feel or maybe even a garlic aioli or any type of sauce you’d normally add to your burger. And also bacon... LOTS OF BACON.

This was a trial run that our Bite & Booze team got to try , so it’s not available to the masses just yet. We were told that it would either be added to the menu full time soon or served as a special once they were completely satisfied with their final recipe.

Make sure you’re following Rotolo’s Craft & Crust on Facebook and Instagram to find out when the Burger Pizza will be available as well all future specialty pies to come.

Beers with Chuck: Magic Marshmallow Breakfast Milk Stout from Tin Roof Brewing

by Chuck P

St. Patrick’s Day in Baton Rouge is a very big deal. People line up sometimes overnight to secure their spot for the annual parade and prepare for a long day of drinking. There’s lots and lots of Jameson and Guinness being consumed and unfortunately, a lot of very unnecessary green beer. Luckily for us Tin Roof Brewery made sure to give us a better option this year with their third consecutive specialty release the Magic Marshmallow Breakfast Milk Stout.

To keep with the theme of the day, the guys at Tin Roof decided to go all out and include Lucky Charms cereal into the brew recipe. How much Lucky Charms you might ask? We’re talking 72 boxes of magical deliciousness! They also used a marshmallow flavored coffee and lactose to give it some creaminess.

On my first pour I noticed the hint of the cereal coming through with a bit of the coffee on the aroma. Greeted with coffee first, some vanilla creeps in, but after it began to warm up I thought the vanilla faded giving way to more of the coffee. The lactose was minimal in my opinion, but still noticeable. The cereal itself arrived at the finish but was subtle which I liked with a bit of bitterness rounding it out.

Tin Roof has been crushing the small batch game recently with the release of the Santeria Double IPA (aka the beer formerly known as JUJU), Haze Hunt Triple IPA and now with the release of Magic Marshmallow they continue to bring down the house. Unlike the aforementioned Santeria and Haze Hunt which were both brewery exclusives you can find this breakfast milk stout on tap at your favorite craft beer watering holes.

Congrats to Tin Roof on another delicious brew. I can’t wait to see what type of specialty beer they do for Easter!*

*Tin Roof has nothing scheduled for release that’s Easter themed. Or do they???

Burgers with Chuck: Building Dreams at Burgersmith

by Chuck P

Here’s a question I’d like to pose to you that I’ve been asked numerous times:

If you were building your dream burger, what would be on it?

Sounds like an easy question right? But really it takes some thought. The amount of toppings you can put on a burger is almost infinite. You have to carefully consider the consistency of the bun, the variables of wet and dry ingredients and how the flavor profile of your selected toppings will mix with the choices you’ve made. There are a number things that could turn building your dream burger into your worst nightmare.

With that being said, I was recently put to task with creating a “dream burger” of sorts that would be all around blog worthy by the boss man himself Jay Ducote at one of our recent Between The Buns recordings at Burgersmith on Perkins. In between segments, we were trying to decide which burger to order when Jay thought it would be a good idea for me to create my own burger and make it as crazy as possible. Far be it for me to back down from a burger challenge! I happily agreed and began going over their list of toppings on the menu.

My brain was in overdrive looking over all the choices that were offered. But before I could get too excited I had to take a step back and think of what flavors would work perfectly on this burger.

My first choice was the patty itself. The brisket patty seemed to be calling out to me. If you’ve never had a burger with that patty I highly suggest you do. Next were the toppings. I decided to go with some of my favorites-- cheddar cheese, bacon and a fried egg. I then added the creole mayo, but still felt something was missing. Looking over the offerings again I spotted the one choice I knew would be a perfect addition: the house-made chili.

Sitting back and looking over the choices my mouth was watering. Now I just needed to finish it off and choose a bun. I looked over at Angie, Burgersmith’s Marketing Director and asked one simple question, “Could I get grilled cheese sandwiches as buns?”

She replied, “Yes but you should probably use the child’s size so the bread won’t be as thick and you can bite into it better.” She knew what I was getting at.

With that answer, my dream burger was on its way to becoming a reality.

As we continued to record radio segments with Angie I couldn’t keep my mind off of this potential beauty. I felt pretty solid in my choices, but sometimes just because you think you’re right doesn’t mean it always works out. I’ve burned myself a few times trying to go crazy with burger toppings that seemed like they’d work but didn’t.

And then...it arrived! My dream burger aptly named The Chuck P Over The Top Burger had come to fruition.

The Chuck P Over The Top Burger at Burgersmith

It completely exceeded my expectations. This burger looked EXACTLY like I pictured it in my head. The ends of the bacon glistening, the chili pouring over the toppings like a waterfall of deliciousness and the beautiful buttery grilled cheese buns almost moved me to tears. It was almost too perfect to eat. Almost...

Biting into my dream burger was euphoric. The flavor combinations couldn’t have been more perfect with the chili battling everything else to be the star of the show. Every topping I picked came through in each bite. It was a glorious achievement that met every delicious expectation that I had and then some.

After taking a few pics and posting to my Facebook and Instagram pages, my feeds were flooded with a sea of comments from those who were in complete awe of my burger baby!

There were even a few folks who went to Burgersmith and actually ordered my creation!

After the smoke had settled, I sat back and reflected on what I had just brought to life from the top of my grease soaked brain. What a delicious accomplishment, but could such a thing be tried a second or third time? Could I match or even top what was just laid before me?

Stay tuned true believers...

A Good Day for Coffee

by Elizabeth Courville, intern

February 3, 2018 was a good day for coffee in Southern Louisiana; not just any coffee, but specialty coffee to be exact. Specialty grade coffee refers to the use of beans that are produced in special and ideal microclimates. The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) makes the standards and scores coffee beans on a 100-point scale, with anything above 80 being graded as “specialty.” The specialty coffee industry in the U.S. is growing more and more each year, but Baton Rouge has been a little behind on the game… until now.

The Cafeciteaux Cupping at Java Mama

Cafeciteaux Coffee Roasters out of Baton Rouge hosted a free/public coffee cupping and tasting at Java Momma. Steve and Chris are fairly newer to roasting, but don’t let that scare you off – they are producing some delicious coffees. Participants got to taste 3 of their coffees which included their new, outstandingly balanced and tasty Guatemala San Pedro La Lagunana single origin. Their coffee can be found in multiple local grocery stores here in Baton Rouge including Calandro’s Supermarkets, Redstick Spice Company, Oak Point Fresh Market and Alexander’s Highland Market.

In the same weekend New Orleans hosted the kick-off of Coffee Champs. This was the US Coffee Championships qualifying event hosted by the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America). A $17 ticket bought you access to 2 days-worth of tasting both sponsor and competitor coffees, information sessions with some of the best roasters in the country, learning how to brew - by true professionals, barista competition viewing and tons of awesome merchandise.

Exploring the Roaster Village

In the “Roaster Village” there were two local roasting companies based out of Louisiana – Rêve Coffee Roasters (locations in both Lafayette, and one opening up in the White Star Market in mid city Baton Rouge) and also French Truck Coffee (multiple locations in New Orleans, and one in mid city Baton Rouge). Rêve Coffee Roasters is a specialty coffee company that micro-roasts every batch and ships the beans on the day they are roasted – guaranteeing some of the freshest coffee that you will ever taste. French Truck is another local roasting company that uses super fresh beans and roasts in small batches. Representatives from Light House Coffee could be found perusing around Coffee Champs as well. Light House Coffee is a specialty shop with a cause, that is looking to open its doors in March 2018. Light house will be hiring and helping refugees and displaced people coming into Baton Rouge.

The schedule for Coffee Champs looked like 10:00am-6:00pm days, followed by after parties at local New Orleans coffee shops. It was certainly a caffeine packed weekend! There are a lot of new and exciting things happening in the Baton Rouge coffee world! Give these local specialty shops some love whenever you get the chance! Your taste buds will thank you later.

Burgers with Chuck: The Return of Dearman's

by Chuck P

Since opening its doors in the late 1950’s at the Bocage Village Shopping Center as a pharmacy and soda shop, Dearman’s has been a Baton Rouge landmark. Throughout the years their classic cheeseburger became known as one the best in town with people crowding the tables and counter for lunch and dinner to get their hands on one.

Unfortunately, on March 1st of 2016, a fire roared through the back of the restaurant causing over $500,ooo in damages. To add insult to injury, their lease was terminated a week later. With no plans of opening at a different location it seemed like Dearman’s legacy had come to an end.

Eventually with a rallying cry from its loyal customers and Save Dearman’s Facebook Pages being created, the future of this beloved establishment was shining bright once again. With a new 5 year lease in hand construction started to bring Dearman’s back to life and at 11pm on December 18th the doors opened again to greet hungry and loyal fans who were craving one thing: that delicious classic cheeseburger.

Dearman's Classic Double Cheese Burger with Bacon and Grilled Onions

There’s really not much you can say about the Dearman’s burger that hasn’t already been said before. It’s a simple burger that needs no gimmicks. My only additions when I order are bacon (because...well, bacon) and grilled onions. The juiciness of the perfectly seasoned patties (don’t be a fool, get a double) covered in melted cheese is absolute perfection and the buns are always soft and fresh. Every bite leaves you wanting more. Add to that some tasty house cut fries and one of their signature malts or milkshakes (vanilla milkshake every time), and you’ve got yourself one hell of a meal.

After many years spent eating Dearman’s I was worried that after the fire I’d never get a chance to enjoy one of their delicious burgers again. I’m sure glad I was wrong. It’s good to have such a beloved local staple back in business. Welcome back Dearman’s! A true Baton Rouge classic!

Beers with Chuck: Attacus Atlas from Parish Brewing

by Chuck P

I know I’m a bit late to the party with my review of this beer. After I received these from my good friend Buddy Etheridge things got pretty busy here at Bite and Booze HQ. Then I was attacked by the vicious flu not once, but TWICE which put me and my taste buds out of commision for about a month. Now that I’m back from what felt like the grip of death I felt the time to break out my 4-pack of Attacus Atlas from Parish Brewing had come.

This Triple IPA is packed with a crazy amount of Galaxy hops and Idaho 7, a fairly new hop that was released in 2015, to counter the amount they had to use to get the high 9% ABV. Honestly, I didn’t get a lot of booziness from it as I expected but I’m sure after a few of these it would creep up on you.

Attacus Atlas pours a nice yellow/orange mimosa-esque hue which is pretty much what most of the juicy IPA’s tend to look like, at least to me. The aroma is a mild mix of orange and mango, but my nose still may not be 100% yet. Taste wise the hop juice hits you right off the bat in a big way. The citrus notes come in nice and smooth with a bit of creaminess. There was some bitterness on the finish but to me it’s very mild.

Once again Parish knocks it out of the park with another strong entry into their ever growing hop portfolio. I’m glad my taste buds were able to get back to normal so I could truly enjoy this beer. Let’s all hope this one shows itself more often.

Chuck P's Best Bites of 2017

by Chuck P

Another year has come and gone and now with 2018 here it’s time to reflect back on 2017. It was definitely a busy one here at Bite & Booze headquarters with road trips, pop-ups and private events filling up the calendar on a regular basis. Somehow, in between all of that, we found time to try some delicious dishes both locally and regionally that inspired and satisfied our ever expanding palates.

Here are just a few of my favorite dishes from 2017. I promise it won’t be completely filled with burgers.

The Fried Chicken Biscuit at Willa Jean

If you’ve never eaten at Willa Jean then I highly suggest you change that the next time you’re down in New Orleans. Listed under their “Biscuit Situation” section of the menu, this beast of a meal is a must have. A juicy chicken breast sitting between two warm, flaky biscuits in a pool of Tabasco honey. It’s big enough to share, but I’m not giving up a single delicious bite!

The Brisket at Franklin BBQ

This is absolutely without a doubt THE BEST brisket I’ve ever had. Franklin in Austin, Texas is well known, especially their brisket, and it totally lived up to the hype. 

Juicy, smokey and packed with deliciousness. I think I could have eaten it all by myself. Every time I look at that picture I start trying to figure out when I can get back there for more.

Deep Dish Cheese Pizza from Giordano’s

Unfortunately I didn’t get to travel to Chicago to try this but I was lucky enough to try it thanks to my lead singer Hana who ordered one for our guitar players birthday. Giordano’s ships their pizzas packed on dry ice with sauce packaged separately and cooking instructions as well. This true Chicago deep dish is fantastic. The red sauce was really good and it was packed with cheesy goodness. I’m hoping the next time I get to try one of these it’ll be at the restaurant, but I’ll be happy ordering one online until then.

The Slamburger at Brickyard South

I love the fact that one of my favorite hangout spots also has one of my favorite burgers. Danny Moore and Danny Wilson serve up this classic burger every Friday night at Brickyard South for the insanely low price of $5. A simple burger that’s perfectly seasoned, smashed flat and topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and Danny Moore’s signature sauce. No gimmicks just a great tasting classic burger.

Jumbo Carrot Cake at BRQ

I’m sure you’re asking yourself why I’m choosing a dessert from a BBQ restaurant. The answer is simple. This is the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. Period. No contest. I mean look at that thing! You can feed four people off of that slice! After having this cake I had dreams about it for like, a week after. IT’S THAT GOOD!

Fried Chicken At Willie Mae’s Scotch House

There’s a reason that Willie Mae’s is famous. Their fried chicken is otherworldly; the flavor of the crust and the juiciness of the chicken is unreal. It’s been a staple in New Orleans since it opened in 1957. Presidents and celebrities have eaten here and Food Network declared it as having America’s Best Fried Chicken. There’s no other fried chicken that comes close to it.

The LIT Pizza Burger At Curbside Burgers

This was a special burger for their ‘Curbside Turns One’ anniversary celebration and although every burger that week was really good (and yes, I had all of them) this was the one that stood out for me. An awesome Italian sausage patty, swiss cheese and gremolata sandwiched between two pepperoni pizza buns. The flavor profile for this thing was off the charts. It was everything you would want out of a pizza burger and so much more. I’m hoping this pops back up on their menu as a special soon.


This was a tough list to put together. There were so many dishes I had this year that were really good but these definitely were the ones I still talk about. I’m hoping that 2018 will be just as delicious.

Back To Basics: Rotolo’s Craft & Crust

by Chuck P

Rotolo’s Pizzeria has been a Baton Rouge institution for over 20 years, especially to LSU students living in the Tigerland area where they first opened their doors. We all have our favorites from their menu like the classic Sweep The Floor (now known as The Krewe), the delicious Chalmette Cheesesticks and their insanely popular $5 calzones every Wednesday.

Through the years owner Mitch Rotolo was able to open more locations and now has over 30 franchises spread out across the south. But after a while he felt like the original spirit of Rotolo’s got lost somewhere along the way. Mitch was looking to get back to his roots and focus on scratch ingredients and new takes on classic recipes that would re-ignite his creative spirit; and just like that, Rotolo’s Craft & Crust was born.

With a new outlook and focus on authentic recipes with a twist mixed with an impressive draft beer selection and laid back atmosphere, Mitch, Jr. and his crew are determined to have the new concept reflect their new company motto: Good food, good vibes, no bullsh*t.

Recently the Bite & Booze team took time out from our busy schedule and headed over to have a team lunch and check out their new menu. Here’s just a few of my favorites.

The Game Warden

This appetizer caught my eye immediately. Beer-battered fried alligator and almond crusted duck tenderloin with pieces of fried pineapple. It was calling to me from the menu and it did not disappoint.

Carona 126

The layers of flavor on this one were fantastic. The fresh tomato sauce, grape tomatoes, prosciutto, burrata and white truffle oil together made for the perfect combination of flavors.

Uncle Tony V

Another great combination of flavors similar to the Carona 126 but with pulled mozzarella and basil added with more burrata and finished off with a balsamic reduction glaze which lately I’ve been adamant about adding to my pizzas.

It’s truly hard to pick a favorite from the many pizzas that we had as well as an off-menu order of stuffed shells that I demanded they add to the menu to the delicious Chocolate Chip Brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled in caramel. Add to that the great craft beer selection and truly relaxed vibe, I would say that Junior succeeded in the Rotolo’s vision of getting back to his roots and restoring the true heart and soul of Rotolo’s.

Burgers with Chuck: Curbside's Anniversary Collaboration

by Chuck P

One year ago today my dream of once again having a Curbside burger became reality when owner Nick Hufft finally opened the doors to the Curbside brick and mortar on Government Street. Sitting next door to Calandro’s Supermarket, Hufft took what was once the most popular food truck in Baton Rouge and created the perfect setting for burgers, frites and boozy milk shakes anyone can enjoy either inside or on their awesome patio area.

Last week, to celebrate their anniversary, Nick reached out to a few of his culinary friends and with their help created five collaboration burgers that were available for a limited time. I of course took on the task of visiting Curbside during those five days to try each of the specialty burgers. Let’s take a look at the gloriousness of it all:

Monday: The Tiger D with Tiger Deaux-nuts

This was the perfect way to start off my week! Crispy chicken topped with sharp cheddar, honey sage sausage gravy nestled between two glazed donut buns in a happy dance of salty and sweet harmony. Hopefully, this one will show up from time to time on their brunch menu.

Tuesday: The Gov’t Burger with Gov’t Taco

I was really looking forward to trying our collaboration burger and it did not disappoint. A juicy patty rubbed with Chef Aimee Tortorich’s coffee/chile rub, melty chihuahua cheese, poblano pico with roasted garlic mayo and Hola Nola tortilla strips.

Every bite was a flavor party in my mouth. The poblano pico was exceptionally good.

Wednesday: The Pho Real Burger with The Overpass Merchant

The cool and overcast weather on this day made for an ideal situation for this burger. A pork patty topped with hoisin, pickled onions, sriracha mayo, bean sprouts and herb salad. The clincher was the cup of pho that came on the side to dunk the burger in. I was almost tempted to come back for dinner and get another one!

Thursday: The Get LIT Burger with LIT Pizza

Hands down my favorite of all the burgers! This was everything and more: a delicious hot Italian sausage patty with swiss and gremolata between two pepperoni pizza buns. I could literally eat this burger every day.

Friday: The Barbie Burger with Barbosa’s BBQ

Curbside ended the week strong with this offering from pitmaster Alex Barbosa. The fact that it starts off with being described double Texas hot gut beef patties should have you ready to dive in. Finished off with American cheese, smoked onion jam and a roasted poblano aioli, this was a fantastic burger.

A huge congrats to Nick and everyone at Curbside Burgers! Here’s to many more years of great business and great burgers!

Burgers With Chuck: DIG Magazine’s Burger & Beer Week

by Chuck P

For most people, Christmas is the one day of the year they look forward to the most. For others it might be Halloween, Thanksgiving or their birthday, but for me it’s not just one day, it’s an entire week that eclipses any other holiday or event on the calendar. This glorious celebration is Burger & Beer Week taken directly from my dreams and brought to reality by the awesome people at DIG Magazine.

For the second year, the magazine has partnered with participating restaurants in Baton Rouge to create new and exciting burgers along with suggested beer pairings compliments of Crescent Crown Distribution. With a price point of $6 for the burgers and a variety of beer specials including The Boot from Abita Brewing and Samuel Adams Octoberfest it’s a win/win for burger and beer lovers.

DIG also donated $2 of every burger & beer photo posted to Instagram with the hashtag #eatBR to the Companion Animal Alliance.

As usual, our schedule here at Bite & Booze headquarters was just as hectic as any other week, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from getting my hands on some delicious burgers. After all, this is basically an event created for me right? Luckily, my choices this year were extremely better than last year so here’s a rundown of what made it into my belly:

City Pork Deli & Charcuterie: The Warehouse Burger

A really simple, no-frills burger that was absolutely delicious. A perfectly seasoned ground chuck patty, sweet caramelized onions, cheddar and their house-made bacon with mayo and ketchup with this burger, every bite was better than the last.

Mason’s Grill: The Fatty Melt

I texted Jay immediately when I saw the picture for this burger. A half pound patty with grilled onions between two buttery grilled cheese sandwiches. What’s not to love? If I were to add anything to this it would probably be a fried egg to add a bit of wetness to the burger. A cup of tomato soup would also be a sufficient sidekick.

Thai Kitchen: The Thai Herbal Burger

A burger from a Thai restaurant? That doesn’t serve burgers? Madness!

This was the burger I heard the most about during last year’s Burger & Beer Week. A lot of folks thought this was their favorite last year so I couldn’t live with myself if I missed it again. The herb/lemongrass seasoning used for the patty gave it a different flavor from a normal burger that I really liked. The Thai sauce was a nice touch but it could’ve used more on the burger. Overall a solid burger from one of my favorite Thai spots in town.

Your Mom’s Restaurant & Bar: Mac & Cheese Burger

How could I not try a burger with one of my favorite things in the world covering it? A juicy 8oz. patty topped with bacon and overflowing with the cheesiest of mac n’ cheeses and house-made ranch dressing is the burger I’d dream of in my youth. I can only hope they add this to their already impressive burger menu.

Burgersmith: The Hamburg

A mouth watering burger with a German twist, the already awesome Smith beef patty topped with sweet pickled cabbage, creole mustard, swiss and a fried egg between to soft pretzel buns put a twinkle in my eye. The cabbage and creole mustard combined for a unique, zingy taste with the already well seasoned patty and those pretzel buns were complete buttery goodness.

Once again, these restaurants crushed the burger game with some truly tasty and creative offerings. 

A big thanks to DIG Magazine for bringing back Burger & Beer Week to the masses. I’m already marking the days off on the calendar until the next one.

Father's Day Gift Guide: For Dads That Like To Eat and Drink

by Aaron Arnold, intern

Every year Father’s Day rolls around and I find myself asking the same question, “What should I get for my dad?” There are only so many money clips and nose hair trimmers a guy can have. So, this year we wracked our brain, talked to some of our favorite men, and created the ultimate “Louisiana Dad Gift Guide.” Whether you are looking for an experience with pops or a gift in any price range, we got you covered.

1) For the Wannabe Chef Dad: 

The Seasons of Louisiana cookbook is perfect for the fathers that love to experiment in the kitchen. Chef Peter Sclafani is a chef at Ruffino’s in Baton Rouge and has been perfecting his Louisiana Cuisine skills for years.


2) For the Whiskey Sipping Dad:

#OMFW...our Original Mississippi Floated Whisky is in the bottle! #canelanddistilling #geauxdowntownbr #batonrouge #whisky

A post shared by Cane Land Distilling Company (@canelanddistilling) on May 10, 2017 at 1:08pm PDT

Cane Land Distilling is new to the Baton Rouge scene and is located at 760 St Philip Street in the downtown area. You can swing by their location and pick up a bottle of their Original Mississippi Floated Whiskey for you and your dad to share, or go together to try one of their many craft cocktails. If your dad is more of a rum or vodka guy, we highly recommend their Red Stick Cinnamon Rum or Shindig Vodka.


3) For the Hairy Dad:

monday, we're comin' at'cha • #gaudetbros #getfaded

A post shared by gaudet bros. (@gaudetbros) on Nov 16, 2015 at 9:39am PST

Surprise your dad with a giftcard to Gaudet Bro’s located at 4556 Government St for the perfect trim and shave. If he’s more of a DIY styler, you can purchase some of their upkeep products for a grooming gift basket. Let that hipster flag fly, dad.


4) For the Fightin’ Tiger Dad:

Stop by Tiger People at 4250 Burbank Dr Suite 109/110 and snag your dad some new LSU swag. Tiger People offers a variety of LSU items from clothing to tailgate supplies. You’ll be sure to find something here for your LSU obsessed father.


5) For the BBQ Dad:

Thanks @lardhavemercy for spicing it up this weekend with Jay D's rub and some brisket! 'Tis the season to fire up the smokers. We've got a Memorial Day Bundle on jayducote.com/shop! #bbq #brisket

A post shared by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on May 7, 2017 at 4:02pm PDT

Locally sourced and curated, the one and only Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce, Louisiana Molasses Mustard, and Spicy & Sweet Barbecue Rub are perfect for the Dad who spends his summers by the grill. Any of these are sure to make your dad cook and feel like a pit master.


6) For the Spice Loving Dad:

#iammidcity iammidcitybr

A post shared by Red Stick Spice Co. (@redstickspice) on Jan 15, 2017 at 2:51pm PST

Red Stick Spice Company located at 660 Jefferson Hwy captures the delicious, unique flavors of our region from local and sustainable food artisans. Check out their store to put together the perfect gift set of oils, spices, rubs or teas. Their knowledgeable staff will help you assemble the right products to match your dad’s style.


7) For the History Buff Dad:

Kingfish: The Reign of Huey P. Long by Richard D. White Jr. is a great read for any dad that wants to learn more about Louisiana history and it’s collection of colorful political characters. Not to mention, it is the Baton Rouge’s 2017 book of the year for East Baton Rouge Public Library’s sponsored community-wide reading program “One Book One Community.” You can pick up a copy of “Kingfish” at the EBR Public Library and tweet out a picture using #readebr to see who else in our community is reading.


8) For the Beer Belly Dad:

It's a great day for a Voodoo brew this hump day💀 Thanks @biteandbooze for loving this beer as much as we do! Looking forward to our cookout June 30th #thatvoodoothatyoudo #voodoopaleale #tinroofbeer #geauxlocal

A post shared by Tin Roof Brewing Co. (@tinroofbeer) on Jun 7, 2017 at 9:50am PDT

For an opportunity to share some memories and a cold one with your dad, we recommend heading over to Tin Roof Brewery and Taproom. At the tap room you will be able to try one of their flagship, seasonal, or sometimes experimental, specialty beers. If you’re lucky, you may even catch some of the brewing in action.


9) For the Outdoorsy Dad:

If your dad spends a lot of time outside hunting, fishing, building (or breaking) head over to Goodwood Hardware & Outdoors. They carry an array of outdoor items from furniture to grills to any tool you can think of located at 7539 Jefferson Hwy.


10) For any Dad:

Just tell him that you love him and that you appreciate everything that he has done for you. If all else fails, you can’t go wrong with this.

Sophie's First Week: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes of an Intern

by Sophie Spring, intern

“I really don’t know.” My response when family and friends asked me what I was going to be doing at my internship this summer. You could say it was a last minute decision to live in Baton Rouge for the summer, as I got the internship with Bite and Booze the night before my last final. The chaotic nature of finding a place to live, roommates and moving all my possessions from sorority house to my new condo only increased my excitement to start working for Jay and the Bite and Booze crew.

After the long 21-hour drive from Basking Ridge, New Jersey to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, I couldn’t wait to dive in. My first day consisted of random tasks from intern orientation, to running out for forgotten groceries, to peeling and cutting 25 pounds of carrots.

As I’ve learned is the usual in the #officehouse, snacks are always coming out of the kitchen: Jay’s bratwurst from Iverstine Butcher, taco samples to prep for Gov’t Taco events, artisan chocolate bars sent to us from CrateChef and beer from Tin Roof and other local breweries (only for those of us over 21, of course). 

I left with five new t-shirts and a nervous anticipation for my next day of work, catering the VIP tent at Live After 5 downtown.

I'm all smiles while Paige snaps to the beat, Therese dances and Blair flips tortillas! Photo credit: Jordan Hefler

As I roll up to the office Friday morning, I was immediately rushed into Chuck’s Jeep as we trucked over to City Pork for a filming of the Food Network show, Ginormous Food. My second day on the job and I was already getting on TV! 

The highlights of going to the filming were getting to taste the giant porchetta sandwich, meeting Ginormous Foods host Josh Denny and realizing how locally famous my boss Jay Ducote was. I’m already planning a viewing party so all of my friends can see the back of my head on national television when the episode airs in July!

Next, we headed to Tin Roof Brewery to sort and tag some Louisiana Molasses Mustard bottles and Louisiana Barbecue Sauce to fill orders. While tying small tags to countless bottles of mustard in a dark, hot and humid warehouse isn’t exactly my idea of fun, it’s cool to see how involved the whole staff is in every aspect of the business. Jay went from being interviewed for Food Network to working right next to me, opening and resealing boxes of his molasses mustard. However, work like this has its benefits and no one in this company will never turn down a chance to grab some Tin Roof beer.

After going back to the office to pack up equipment, I jumped in the car with some of the Gov’t Taco crew to head downtown for Live After 5. While Snap Chatting myself flipping tortillas on the flat-top, assembling tacos and listening to live music my friends are all asking, “What is your job and where can I get one?!” 

Even after working a 12 hour day, I wanted to do nothing more than get to the office at 6:15am the next morning to make a vat of popcorn tossed with Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub to give out as samples at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market.

As I wandered around the Farmer’s Market, forgetting I was wearing my iconic Jay D’s shirt, I was shocked by how many vendors came up to me with friendly remarks, conversation and most importantly, samples of their products. While I had to restrain myself from buying something from every stand, I left the Farmer’s Market with tons of cool finds and an appreciation for Jay’s influence and connections in Baton Rouge.

I had already worked 21 hours, but was still most excited for our next event: Gov’t Taco pop-up at The Overpass Merchant.

I geared up for another 11 hour day, this time with a black taco flat brim of my own to sport for the evening. The kitchen was hot, my hands were burnt from the flat top and I was standing in a restaurant kitchen corner for nearly 5 hours flipping tortillas and assembling elote, but I had never had so much fun!

You can dance, you can shine, having the time of your life... @sophie_spring @chefaimeetortorich @jennbrightup @city_slicker_ @theoverpassmerchant

A post shared by Gov't Taco (@govttaco) on May 28, 2017 at 7:05pm PDT

With Gnarly Barley beer flowing through the taps, music pumping and jokes flying we capped off the night by heading to Ivar’s with the whole crew, who are already starting to feel like my family. My friends don’t understand how that can be fun for me, or how I am still excited to work all of these hours, but walking through the #officehouse already feels like home.

Throw some Jay D's Spicy & Sweet Barbecue Rub on burgers next time you're grilling!! #BBQ #burgers #grilling #memorialday

A post shared by Jay Ducote (@jayducote) on May 30, 2017 at 7:25am PDT

After a relaxing Memorial Day, with me grilling burgers using Jay D’s Spicy & Sweet Rub for friends (and making some of them local celebrities by featuring them on the @jayducote instagram), I was ready to come back for our private dinner on Tuesday night.

Yet another long day, working from 9a.m. to 10p.m., was well worth it just for a bite of coffee rubbed venison and corner scraps of Therese’s sponge cake bread pudding. Seeing our work table transformed into a beautiful dining space for 12 lucky locals was super cool, almost as cool as taking part in cooking, serving and assembling five beautiful courses, expertly paired with wine and beer.

Just in my first few days, I have learned so much about entrepreneurship (my major) and running a business from Jay, working in a restaurant and cooking for a crowd (my dream) from Aimee and Therese, working hard and balancing different passions (my life right now) from Chuck and being a funky, cool, and awesome person (everyone’s goal) from Blair.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the summer because I can’t wait to see what else Bite and Booze has to offer. What do I think I’ll get from this internship? My predictions are food, fun and invaluable lessons about working hard, cooking well and endless hijinks with a crazy new family at the #officehouse.

It's Not a Goodbye, It's a "See You Later": Hannah Reflects On Her Internship

by Hannah Wilson, intern

I remember Blair coming to Dr. Folse’s marketing class like it was yesterday. She shared what Bite & Booze was all about and I remember having a gut feeling that this was meant for me. That sounds so cheesy and so easy to say now that we’re here, a semester later...But, that’s the thing, I follow my gut. I have honed in on listening to my intuition, and it’s gotten me this far. As the class ended my friend Chad leaned over and said, “You seem a lot like her, are you going to talk to her?”; I said yes.

I marched down, got her business card and that was that. We skyped for the interview on a winter day when it was about negative four degrees in Chicago, and I remember Jay asking me what my least favorite food was. Later that day I got an offer from them, and I took it.

Me chowing down on some high quality Gov't Taco
Photo Credit: Jordan Hefler Photography

Coming back from winter break, and walking up to the #OfficeHouse on the first day, I was incredibly nervous. I have always loved eating food, but I did not think I was qualified enough to review food or represent a company all about food. The most crafty I got in the kitchen was putting olive oil in a pan with vegetables and stir frying them and I’m still not even sure if that’s exactly what you would call that. I was ready to try though, even if I was a nervous and excited mess.

Being Blair’s intern has been a little something extra. Blair, Chief Confusion Coordinator and Spin Doctor, is someone I view with the to utmost respect and has become one of my role models through this whole experience. I’ve gotten to see her goofy, honest and kind personality shine through whether we’re editing blog posts, cleaning the #OfficeHouse or having a dance party while running errands. There is never a dull moment with this crew, and everything turns into laughter and dancing in almost no time at all.

From private dinners, to grocery stores, to working Gov’t Taco events, there’s always something going on. Throughout these various adventures, I’ve learned so much more about culinary marketing and real life experience than any classroom could have taught me. This internship has opened my eyes to all of the amazing experiences that happen off of LSU’s campus, and it’s made me appreciate this city so much more than I could have ever imagined.

I also have a new appreciation for food and shopping locally. Jay and the team are so dedicated to buying local ingredients and supporting small businesses, and it really made me evaluate where I was shopping and what I was feeding myself.

Our partnerships with local Louisiana companies gives outlets to promote local commerce to both parties, and it’s been very interesting to see how everything works together. I think that shopping locally and focusing on the quality of ingredients has changed how my body operates, and I’ve definitely noticed an improvement. It makes a world of difference when you care about the quality of food you’re putting into your body (except for this sinfully delicious grilled cheese I wrote about).

Check it out: our intern @look_mano_hanz hit up The Big Cheezy waiting for the Jazz Fest rain delays last weekend. What a delicious way to pass the time! Read all about it on the #blog now! #grilledcheese #followyournola #nola #cheese

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on May 8, 2017 at 9:29am PDT

Getting to pal around with Blair and taste almost every cup of coffee in Baton Rouge, pho and having our almost weekly lunches at Zippy’s have grown to be some of my favorite memories of college. But also, seeing all the effort and hardwork that goes into building a brand for a restaurant and getting to be a voice in the decision making process has been a truly rewarding experience (taste testing almost every taco hasn’t been too shabby either).

Since coming through that door in early January, the adventures, laughs and love have been endless. Which, again, sounds cheesy but it could not be more true. This group of humans have been one of the most genuine I’ve ever come into contact with. 

The success of this team, I believe, is due to the cohesiveness and family-like atmosphere we work in every day. For the past five months I’ve woken up and looked forward to my Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at Bite & Booze. So much so, that I’m coming back in the fall when I finish up my last semester at LSU!