The Sac-a-Lait NOWFE Wine Dinner: A Sportsman's Paradise

by Blair Loup

Chefs Samantha and Cody Carroll have experienced a whirlwind of success over the past two years. Their first restaurant, Hot Tails in New Roads, Louisiana, is what got them started, but it’s Sac-a-Lait in New Orleans that has people talking.

Not long after the team’s trip to cook at the legendary James Beard House in New York, New Orleans Magazine crowned Sac-a-Lait “Restaurant of the Year” in 2015. It’s the first restaurant to earn that title within the same year of opening.

I feel like I’m constantly Jones-ing for one of their barrel-aged cocktails and anything that comes out of that kitchen window, so I thought making the trip to their New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE) dinner sounded like a good idea.

With Chef Bradley Andries at the helm, I knew we were in for a good time. Chef Brad chose to pair each course with some of his favorite Leonardo Locasio selections, and the results were delicious.

Deviled Crab: lump crab meat, yard bird egg

We began the evening with lots of sparkling Rosé. The deviled crab is the snack food you never knew you needed. An empty crab shell holds a lovely amount of jumbo lump crab deviled with yard bird egg and a house-made cracker. The creamy deviled crab combined with the fruity bubbles reminded me of a typical South Louisiana family gathering but taken to the next level.

Alligator & Mirliton paired with Arigolas Costamolino Vermentino, 2015

Alligator & Mirliton: pickled mustard seeds, white remoulade

The Alligator Mirliton is favorite dish at Sac-a-Lait. The sweetness of the alligator and mashed mirliton combined with the kick from white remoulade and pickled mustard seeds set off the floral notes of the wine. One of the diners at my table said it was a flavor explosion like fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Soft Shell paired with Suavia Massifiti, 2012

Soft Shell: blue corn dusted, masque choux, duck egg carbonara

When you’re at Sac-a-Lait, you get Louisiana on a plate. What I love most about the Sac-a-Lait team is that they’re not cooking New Orleans food in New Orleans; it’s harcore prairie/swamp Cajun cuisine. This dish was spicy, a little sweet with a great crunch. Pair that with the minerality and crispiness of the wine, and it’s a win.

Garfish Ravioli paired with Ceretto Rossana Dolvetto D’Alba, 2013

Garfish Ravioli: smoked gar, heirloom sugo

I’ve started to notice more “trash fish” on menus, and it really makes my day. Some of the most delicious fish that are overpopulating our waters and throwing ecosystems out of whack, like Garfish or Lionfish, are finally making their way to our plates. The heirloom sugo with the smoked gar had this funky, almost fennel flavor, which played well with the velvety, almost dusty wine.

Venison Shoulder paired with Mastroberardino Radici Taurasi, 2009

Venison Shoulder: mushroom risotto, thyme & garlic jus

Our entire table agreed this was the best pairing of the night. The earthiness of the mushroom risotto and gaminess of the venison was the perfect hand hold for this wine. Known as the “Barolo of the South,” this wine was decanted for 3 hours and had this volcanic thing going on that set off this savory garlic and thyme jus.

Berry Cobbler paired with Bera Moscato D’Asti, 2014

Berry Cobbler: vanilla ice cream, brown sugar cookie crust

What’s not to love about a warm cobbler topped with homemade ice cream? The sweet, warm berries married well with the peachy bubbles of the Moscato. A hearty South Louisiana end to an amazing meal.

You Deserve a Video Break

by Sydney Blanchard

Hey, you. Yeah, you there. We just want you to know, we see you. We know you've worked hard all year. You've put in the hours, you've sent all the emails, and you've attended to most of your responsibilities.

Despite long grocery store lines and children crying in restaurants, you've managed to stay on Santa's naughty list.

And for that, we salute you.

Here, check out these videos. You deserve a little break. Let's be real, you're running on empty from now until the end of the year anyway.

Free Booze Friday

In which Jay gets puppets drunk and they all argue about booze

Louisiana Culinary Trails

In which important food people talk about delicious Louisiana cuisine

Food Network Star Finale

In which Jay gets a little emotional at the Food Network Star finale party

I'm Not Trying to be an Underwear Model

In which Jay tries to get fit

Raising Cane's Store #94 Grand Opening

In which a young Jay hangs out with Todd Graves and former Mayor-President Kip Holden

Off-Kilter Nostalgia: Botsky's Premium Hotdogs

Premium Hotdogs at Botsky's in Downtown Lake Charles, Louisiana

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Not long after my start at Bite and Booze, I accompanied Jay and the crew at TommysTV on a Louisiana Culinary Trails shoot. Each video in the web series highlights an area of Louisiana and the cuisine that makes that particular area special.

Jay told me we would be going to Sulphur/Lake Charles for this shoot, which I found perplexing. Being from that area, I didn't remember ever being blown away by the food scene.

The Lake Charles "Seafood Sensation" video wound up being one of my favorite videos in the series because of Botsky's owner, Mike Krajicek.

Being on camera is not easy for everyone. Like I always say, "Not everyone can be Jay Ducote." Not only was Mike completely natural on camera, he had a way of describing Southwest Louisiana that made me proud to be from that area of the state.

Mike has lived elsewhere, but he came home to do something cool, because when you think about it: nothing is going to become cool if all of the cool people keep leaving to do cool things everywhere else.

He has since gone on to double the size of the now year-old business and has recently been named "Restauranteur of the Year" by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association.

Botsky's has a modern, grayscale interior with pops of color from framed pictures and wall decor to napkin holders featuring movie characters holding a Botsky's hotdog with talking bubbles singing the restaurant's praises.

It's unique, it's real, and it's just what the Lake Area needs more of.

With a main focus on high quality franks and sausages with fresh and outlandish toppings, Botsky's has something for everyone.

But seriously, I took my mom there.

While she loves hotdogs, she doesn't like things that are different. She ordered her hotdog pretty standard, but was stunned by its deliciousness and started picking at my mess of a creation.

If you're ever swinging through Lake Charles, these dogs are a must-eat.

P.S. They now carry Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce, so there's that.

Kobe Beef Frank topped with Mac n' Cheese, Feta, Pickled Jalapeños, Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce and Bacon

Beef Frank topped with Dill Pickle Relish, Chili, and the most beautiful array of Ketchup and Mustard you've ever seen

How about this dog topped with Shrimp Creole with a side of sweet potato fries topped with Steen's and powdered sugar?

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Delta Delights

Chef Cory Bahr and Jay Ducote filming
at Restaurant Cotton in Monroe.

The Louisiana Culinary Trails crew made its way up to North Louisiana to dig into Delta cuisine for the final video in the series. From Louisiana wine to Ruston peaches, we learned a few things from Chef Cory Bahr at Restaurant Cotton, Joe Mitcham, Jr. of Mitcham Farms, Chef Mark Smith from Restaurant Sage, Mike and Katie Coullard of Panola Pepper Company, Jeff Landry from Landry Vineyards, and Log Cabin Grill's Chris Garriga. There's a lot to be said for traveling within the state. There's much more than Cajun/Creole cuisine in Louisiana, so grab a fork and start exploring!

Jay Ducote, Dan Jones, and Fred Mince filming an interview with Jeff Landry

Tommy Talley and the tommysTV crew about to roll on the Mitcham Farms interview

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Red River Riches

Tommy Talley leads the tommysTV crew at Inglewood Farms

The Shreveport/Bossier area may not be know for their food, but Louisiana Culinary Trails says otherwise. Follow the Red River through the Northwest corner of the state all the way to Alexandria and you'll find some great local eateries. In filming, tommysTV and I were able to chat about what makes this area of the state so delicious with Chris Jay of the Shreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau, Jason Brady from Wine Country Bistro, Shreveport food lover Steven Jackson, Steven Reed of Inglewood Farms, Angie White from Slow Foods North Louisiana, as well as Angela Lasyone of Lasyone's Meat Pies and Lacey Tanner from Lea's Lunchroom.

tommysTV getting set up for Chris Jay's interview at Herby K's

Dan Jones captures the magic of Herby K's Shrimpbuster

Sherry's Diner in Shreveport, Louisiana

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Seafood Sensation

Dan Jones, Jay Ducote, Jordan Lewis, Fred Mince, and Tommy Talley interview Mike Krajicek inside of Botsky's in Downtown Lake Charles

Tommy Talley sips on a Bayou Rum cocktail
at the distillery in Lacassine

You can find boudin, cracklin, and crawfish across the state of Louisiana, but some of the best stuff originates from Southwest Louisiana. The Louisiana Culinary trails crew rolled to the lower left corner of the state and the city of Lake Charles to highlight the bold flavors and characters that make this part of the state sensational. We learned a lot about what it means to take slow down and savor the dishes with Mike Krajicek of Botsky's, Chef Lyle Broussard from L'Auberge Casino Resort, Jeff Benoit of B&O Kitchen and Grocery, crawfish farmer Burt Tietje of Tallgrass Farm, Trey Litel of Bayou Rum, and local food writer Eric Cormier. This is a serious destination for food in Louisiana, head over and see what's cooking!

Tallgrass Farm's Burt Tietje waits for his close up while his dogs take a snooze after running through the crawfish ponds

Dan Jones, Fred Mince, Jay Ducote, and Jordan Lewis getting footage at the Bayou Rum distillery

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Capital Cravings

Rolling cameras on Iverstine Family Farms with Galen Iverstine,
Jay Ducote, Fred Mince, and Dan Jones

The Louisiana Culinary Trails crew had more of a home-field advantage for the filming of the fourth video in the series. We took a trip to Kentwood to talk to local, first generation farmer, Galen Iverstine, about the bustling Red Stick Farmer's Market. Chef Jeremy Langlois shed some light on his farm-to-table practices at Houma's House Plantation and local food enthusiast Julie Laperouse and myself give a little commentary on the current Baton Rouge food and beverage scene. The Capital Cravings video would not have been complete without a trip to Tony's Seafood and to talk to Bill Pizzolato about their incredible Gulf seafood selection and those amazing boudin balls!

Fred Mince climbing counter tops while Jordan Lewis and Dan Jones grab some shots of Chef Jeremy Langlois in the kitchen

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Prairie Home Cooking

Kermit Lejeune talks to Jay Ducote as Fred Mince, Dan Jones, Jordan Lewis, and Blair Loup produce

Blair Loup helps feed the baby goats before we get back on the road

Filming the Prairie Home Cooking trail brought us away from New Orleans and the Northshore and to the more rural central part of Louisiana. Life slows down a little here but the food culture doesn't. Much of Louisiana's famous smoked sausages and other meats come from this part of the state. We visited smokehouses, slaughterhouses, and people's houses to capture the spirit of Prairie Home Cooking. We paid a visit to Chefs Cody and Sam Carroll at Hot Tails, Kermit Lejeune at Lejeune's Sausage Kitchen, Andy Fontenot and Willie Burson from the Eunice Superette, Marguerite Constantine from WesMar Farms, and Karlos Knott from Bayou Teche Brewing.

Jordan Lewis, Fred Mince, Dan Jones, Jay Ducote, and Katie hope producing a great interview at the Eunice Superette

Jay Ducote checks out cheese curds at Wes Mar Farms

Dan Jones in the smokehouse at Lejeune's Sausage Kitchen

Kermit Lejeune and his faithful companion check the smokehouse at Lejeune's

Chef Sam Carroll of Hot Tails in New Roads talking about Prairie Home Cooking for Louisiana Culinary Trails

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Northshore Sampler

Jay Ducote and Chef John Besh at La Provence

The Louisiana Culinary Trails crew moved from New Orleans to Louisiana's Northshore in order to film our second video in the series. We crossed Lake Pontchartrain to shoot in Mandeville, Covington, and Slidell. We also ran into Chef John Besh at La Provence where he gave us a great interview to start the entire series, then cooked for us in the kitchen. We filmed some amazing seafood while on the Northshore and had interviews with Vanessa Gomes of Champagne Beverage, Tom Gregory from Go Coast: Louisiana, Chef Louie Finnan from Louie & the Redhead Lady, Vinnie LeDonne from Palmetto's on the Bayou, and Chef Erick Loos from La Provence. All in all, the Northshore really impressed and is definitely worthy of a visit!

Dan Jones films Chef John Besh creating one of his signature dishes

Vanessa Gomes discusses food on the Northshore as Jay Ducote, Dan Jones, Jordan Lewis, and Fred Mince produce

Louisiana Culinary Trails: Creole Crescent

Chef Matt Murphy and Jay Ducote share a laugh with a microphone

The Louisiana Culinary Trails video series kicks off in New Orleans with the Creole Crescent Trail. The Big Easy boasts one of the premier culinary scenes in the country, and I really can't imagine a better place to film food. Along the way through New Orleans we interviewed Chef Matt Murphy at The Irish House, Chef Michael Gullota at MoPho, Louisiana Cookin' Magazine editor Daniel Schumacher, Wendy Waren from the Louisiana Restaurant Association, and Chris Hannah at Arnaud' French 75 Bar. We also got to experience some of the best food and cocktails that the Crescent City has to offer. I hope you enjoy watching this video as much as I enjoyed producing it with tommysTV. If it doesn't leave you wanting a poboy in your taste buds, something is wrong with you!

Jordan Lewis, Fred Mince, and Dan Jones prep gear to film at Joey K's

Daniel Shumacher, Jay Ducote, and Michael Gulotta smile after filming at MoPho

Chris Hannah makes cocktails for Dan Jones's camera at Arnaud's French 75

Louisiana Culinary Trails Taste-umentary

Throughout early 2014 I helped produce a gastronomic video series with tommysTV for Louisiana Travel called Louisiana Culinary Trails. This project spans across the entire state of Louisiana highlighting the cultural stomach lining of our state's different delectable regions. From Prairie Home Cooking to the Creole Crescent Trail, we came across a gumbo of characters and learned the culinary blueprints of our neighbors. The most important takeaway from this video series is that there's a lot to be said about traveling within the state, especially through your taste buds! There are eight regional videos to come, but to get things started take a look at this overview video of what the Louisiana Culinary Trails has to offer: