El Cabo Verde: A Passion Project

by Blair Loup

The first time I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Gabriel Balderas, local food legend Chris Jay was taking us on a culinary dream tour around the Shreveport-Bossier area.

People always laugh when I tell them how much I love Shreveport, but it’s no joke. We found Chef Gabriel cooking some of the most amazing tamales I’ve ever had at Flying Heart brewery in Bossier City.

Instead of cooking them in corn husks, Chef Gabriel cased his tamles in banana leaves... and my life changed. Everything I didn’t really like about tamales before (dry & crumbly masa) seemed to be remedied by the moisture from the banana leaf. That’s the moment I knew Gabriel was onto some next level stuff.

We’ve kept in touch with Gabriel and watched the success of the El Cabo Verde name. Sure enough, Chef Gabriel was named one of 2016’s Chefs to Watch by Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine.

Reserved, but passionate, I could listen to him talk about food and ingredients all day. His dedication to the craft is serious and it shows on every plate he puts in front of you.

Fresh corn tortillas, chips, queso, salsa and salsa verde

Here’s a look at some of the dishes we had the chance to taste at his brand new brick and mortar:

Guacamole

Guacamole with fried plantains and radish

I find there’s always a fine line that separates good guac from bad guac. Too much of this or too little of that could make or break a guacamole’s reputation, and this one is made of the right stuff.

Quesadillas

Pork quesadillas 

A traditional quesadilla is the stuff dreams are made of. Creamy, melted queso enveloped around tenderly braised meat between a homemade corn tortilla is hard to beat. This is the snack of champions.

Chicken Tamales

Banana leaf tamales with chile de arbor salsa

These are as legendary as I remember them. Covered in a tangy salsa verde, these flavorful pockets of masa combined with a side of spicy chile de arbol salsa are a must-try.

Cricket Tacos 

Crunchy cricket tacos with guacamole on a fresh corn tortilla

As a very special treat, Chef Gabriel prepared a special off-menu item for our team. I’m probably the most adventurous eater out of the group, so I was super stoked when he put this cricket taco in front of me. The flavor is unique and flavorful with hints of lime. While this may not be something you can always find, I think it’s indicative of Chef Gabriel’s passion and culture. I know I enjoyed it and I can't wait to go back for more!

The Official Bite and Booze Holiday Gift Guide

by Sydney Blanchard

The original idea for this post was to make a gift guide for the Baton Rouge food lover. But then we realized...it's hard not to be a food lover in a city like Baton Rouge. Like, pretty much everyone on your holiday shopping list probably loves to eat, right?

Yeah, that's what we thought.

Here are some locally available items we know we'd love to receive during the holiday season, so there's a pretty good chance someone you know will appreciate them, too.

Heck, we'll just come out and say it: we think we've got pretty good taste.

For the Louisiana Transplant

South Louisiana Supper gift box from Red Stick Spice Company, $28

For the Fast Peeler 

Love Crawfish, Love Louisiana tee from Storyville, $16

For the Grillmaster

Himalayan Salt Plate at Shoppers Choice, $32

For the One Who's Tired of Burning Everything

Pastry and Savory Leisure Classes at Louisiana Culinary Institute, around $125

For the Indulgent Health Nut 

Hanleys Foods Dressings at Calandro's Supermarket, $5

For the Craft Beer Aficionado  

Tin Roof Merch at the Tin Roof Tap Room, $20

For the Recipe Collector

Louisiana Cookin's Louisiana de Mer Cookbook, $20

For the President of the Jay Ducote Fan Club 

Jay D's Holiday Bundle, $25

For the Hosts with the Most

Donner-Peltier's locally produced spirits, around $30

For the Farmer's Market Frequenter 

Taste of Louisiana gift basket from Indie Plate, $45

For the Fashionable Foodie

Mimosa New Roads Pecan Necklace, $30

For the Wine Snob

Landry Vineyards Wines available at Calandro's Supermarket, around $15

For the One with the Freezer Full of Gumbo

Gumbo Print from Defend New Orleans, $20

For the Spice Junkie

Slap Ya Mama gift basket, $20

Going with the Grain Pop Up Dinner in Crowley, LA

One of the many large silos at the Cajun Country Rice Mill
in Crowley, LA

A few weeks ago, Cajun Country Rice and Louisiana Cookin’Magazine got together to throw a pop up dinner at the rice mill in Crowley. What’s unique about this dinner is not only the pop up style preparation, but that each dish incorporated a different grain from Cajun Country Rice, a local company which is in its third generation of ownership. This is the first dinner centered on rice that I've had the pleasure of attending, and what Chef Justin Girouard, one of Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine’s “Chefs to Watch” and executive chef at The FrenchPress in Lafayette, created with the Cajun Country Rice products truly impressed!

 

Inside the Cajun Country Rice Mill
where the grains are separated from the hulls

What’s better than taking a tour of a rice mill? Taking a tour of the mill with a drink in my hand, of course. Each guest got to see the inner workings of the mill and learned more than we thought possible about rice. There is so much to know about everything they do with rice in the way of feed, alcohol adjuncts, and of course, food. After the tour we made our way to the table to sit down to an incredibly creative and delicious meal. While each dish boasted unique elements, the coriander-seared Gulf tuna with coconut lobster fried rice rose to the top as my favorite of the evening. Keep an eye out for dinners like this in the future, because you won't want to miss them!

Cornmeal and Rice Flour Fried Oysters

Foie Gras Dirty Rice Croquettes

Cajun Country Rice "Tabouleh" Stuffed Quail Salad with Baby Arugula, Feta, Marinated Tomatoes and Balsamic Vinaigrette

Coriander-Seared Gulf Tuna with Coconut Lobster Fried Rice

Roasted Duck Breast with Duck Rice Dressing, White Asparagus, Braised Kale, and a Sauce Meurette

Cajun Country Rice Pudding

Bite and Booze Bonus: If you're looking for some booze that uses long-grain rice from Crowley, LA, look no further than the Donner-Peltier Distillery's Oryza Vodka and Gin. You can grab both of these at Calandro's Supermarket!

Bite and Booze Radio Show: Louisiana Cookin' Chefs to Watch

This episode of the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket features the entire 2013 class of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine's Chefs to Watch. Each chef talks about their current jobs, their culinary passion, and what they'll be cooking soon at Cafe Reconcile. The Chefs to Watch Awards Dinner will be held on October 21st and will both be at and benefit Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans. I'll be there for sure, and you can purchase your tickets on Louisiana Cookin's website!

2013 Louisiana Cookin' Chefs to Watch:
Justin Girouard, The French Press, Lafayette
Michael Gulotta, Mopho, New Orleans
Dan Causgrove, The Grill Room, New Orleans
Bronwen Wyatt, La Petite Grocery, New Orleans,
Chris Wadsworth, Triumph Kitchen, Baton Rouge
Alex Harrell, Sylvain, New Orleans



The Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket airs on Saturdays at 5 PM on Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.  It is also available on iTunes.  The show's sponsors include Calandro's Supermarket, Visit Baton Rouge, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning, Louisiana Cookin' Magazine, Juban's Restaurant, the Tin Roof Brewing Company, the Louisiana Culinary Institute and Triumph Kitchen.

Bite and Booze Radio Show: Louisiana Sweet Potatoes and the Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest

This week's Bite and Booze Radio Show episode featured a flurry of folks to talk about the Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest going on right now with the Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission and Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  Holly Clegg, cookbook author and spokesperson for the Commission joined me in studio as well as Rene Simon, the Commission's Executive Director, Dana, who won last year's dessert recipe, and Daniel Schumaker, editor of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine. You have until the end May to enter the contest at either SweetPotato.org or LouisianaCookin.com!

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The Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket airs on Saturdays at 5 PM on Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge.  It is also available on iTunes.  The show's sponsors include Calandro's Supermarket, Visit Baton Rouge, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning, Louisiana Cookin' Magazine, Juban's Restaurant, the Tin Roof Brewing Company, and the Louisiana Culinary Institute.

Baton Rouge's Best New Bars and Restaurants of 2012

The Baton Rouge food and beverage scene has seen a lot of growth in 2012.  It is exciting to be a part of the movement, watching a culinary culture grown right in front of us.  Baton Rouge has much more than chains, you just have to get off the gridlocked interstate to find some of them.  When I first thought of putting together a list of my top new restaurants and bars in 2012, I figured it might be a challenge to actually get to 10.  Instead, I found myself perplexed by what to omit.  Joining forces with Cherry the Dive Bar Girl, somebody who certainly cares as much as I do about unveiling the interesting places in Baton Rouge and forgetting about the chains, I increased my total to 12 for 2012.  Unfortunately, some new spots got left off the list, but here are Baton Rouge's best new bars and restaurants of 2012 (must be original to BR and must have opened in 2012)!

Have an issue or want to make a comment?  Post it here on this blog post, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

12.  Mama Della's Pizza  

I wrote about this NYC style pizza joint back in April.  The pie is delicious, and I fully respect Chef Barry Kalt's commitment to making pizza the way he wants to make it!  Cherry the Dive Bar Girl put it simply: "Fresh, top-quality ingredients, NYC represent!"

11. BB&PF

BB&PF (Bean Burger and Plantain Fries) opened up in 2012 in the building that used to house the Red Flower Chinese restaurant.  Bringing African cuisine to the North Gates of LSU is certainly a welcome addition to the cultural culinary landscape of our city.  Plus, the plantain fries are legit!

10.  Heaux Jeaux's

Heaux Jeaux's brought a neighborhood bar to Airline Highway near the Kleinpeter Dairy.  I'm often quoted as saying that Baton Rouge needs more neighborhood bars, so even though I don't live anywhere close to Heaux Jeaux's, I'm excited to see it thriving.  Live music, beer on tap (though the selection could improve), and much more add to this strip-mall bar.  It is a step in the right direction for South BR for sure.

9.  Smokin' Aces BBQ

Another area that significantly lacks in the Red Stick is good BBQ.  And this time, I won't settle for strip-mall meats.  Barbecue is meant to be independent, authentic, and original.  Smokin' Aces makes my list because they truly are a BBQ joint.  On Government Street in mid-city, this little shack puts out some of the city's best barbecue.  It is simple, straight forward, and good.  And it is far from pretentious.  It is far from being a chain.  And it is, once again, a step in the right direction.  There's still room for good barbecue in this city, but Smokin' Aces has filled part of that void.

8.  Saigon Noodles

This new Vietnamese eatery on N. Sherwood Forest gets some mixed reviews, but I found the Pho to be quite tasty when I went.  I enjoy that they are able to bring people in to experience Vietnamese cuisine.  Cherry the Dive Bar Girl, a follower of the Baton Rouge restaurant and bar scene, noted that "these restaurants aren't just for die hard adventurers anymore."  Saigon Noodles adds some international flair to our city that is best known for fried seafood.  I'm okay with that.

7.  Mud and Water

Taking over the old "L" Bar location near The Pastime and downtown, Mud and Water opened up as a live music venue and all-around great place to drink kind of bar.  Non-smoking on the inside with a nice outdoor space as well, this venue has been a great addition to BR night life.

6.  Tiger Deaux-Nuts

Speaking of adding culture, Jeff Herman's start-up donut business is EXACTLY what we need more of.  Creativity, passion, energy, originality, and spirit of adventurous risk-taking is what can elevate an ordinary food scene into a thriving one.  Tiger Deaux-Nuts currently operates two to three days a week out of a little back room off of Jones Creek, however the flavors are anything but small.  Maple bacon, key lime pie, jalapeno, and s'mores are just some of the flavors found below, and that's not even close to the pinnacle of what Jeff is doing.  You'll just have to check him out to see what else he has up his sleeve.

5.  Blend

Blend came into downtown ready to recreate a wine friendly atmosphere.  They did just that.  Transforming the space previously occupied by a different wine bar, Blend has made a name for itself with an eclectic wine list, a sultry atmosphere, and artistic cuisine.  The menu is one of the better kept secrets in Baton Rouge, especially the creative twists that Chef Eric Sibley takes to make it his own.

4.  Olive or Twist

One of the more recent additions, Olive or Twist opened up in December on Perkins Road.  The much blighted Perkins/Essen area finally got a bar to be proud of.  Specializing in hand crafted cocktails, this small bar has a intimate feel and a refreshing atmosphere.  It is a great place to escape after work or enjoy the company of friends all night.  They also have some quality food on the menu so you can keep drinking, as well as a pretty decent beer list for a Red Stick cocktail bar.

3.  Magpie Cafe

Fresh, local, and seasonal are buzz words in the food world, but it had been hard (though not impossible) to find true commitment to them in Baton Rouge for a while.  Magpie Cafe near the Perkins Road Overpass has filled the void for a casual cafe atmosphere and attention to sourcing everything from coffee to breads.  Magpie is a wonderful place to meet people, work, or just have breakfast a cup of coffee.

2.  Dolce Vita (Wood Fired Pizza BR)

Bogdan Mocanu should be celebrated.  He is a talented, colorful individual.  He is from Romania, and is a good enough chef to be anywhere in the world.  However, he is in Baton Rouge.  Making pizzas from scratch.  In a wood-burning oven.  On a trailer.  If you haven't found Dolce Vita, you are missing the best pizza in Baton Rouge.  I'm a fan of pizza.  I have Mama Della's on this list.  I often brag about BR originals like Pastime and Fleur de Lis.  But Bogdan... on man is he doing something special with pizza pie.

1.  Restaurant IPO

As far as making an impact on the Baton Rouge food and beverage scene, I don't think any new establishment has come close to doing what Chef Chris Wadsworth has done at Restaurant IPO.  Third Street desperately needed a place like this.  The interior is inviting, begging you to eat, drink, and stay.  The Louisiana inspired small plates are easily shared among a table of friends.  The taps are filled with nothing but craft brews, encouraging everyone to drink locally.  This is truly a "practice what they preach" kind of restaurant.  They pay attention to the little things.  They put thought into everything.  Chef Wadsworth creates his own whiskey and vodka infusions.  He wins cooking contests with Community Coffee.  He boasts a two page feature in Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  And more is coming.  I know that for a fact.

Louisiana Cookin' Magazine Release Party at Restaurant IPO

Come join me at The Office and Restaurant IPO on Tuesday December 18th for a release party!  I'm excited to see the new January/February issue of Louisiana Cookin' Magazine.  I have a column in it, and local food writer Sean Rivera's first published writing in the magazine comes in the form of a profile on Restaurant IPO's own Chris Wadsworth!  For more on Chef Wadsworth, take a listen to his appearance on the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket!

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