Savoring the Sweetness: Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Peggy Sweeney McDonald and Jay Ducote at the Taste Awards

Over Mardi Gras, Peggy Sweeney McDonald came to town to put on a Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde... show at White Oak Plantation which I had the privilege to emcee. Later in the week she joined me as a guest on the Bite and Booze Radio Show. We talked about all sorts of things from the Meanwhile show to my trip to Los Angeles for the Taste Awards and of course our favorite eats along the way so that we could savor the sweetness, as Peggy likes to say. Give it a listen!






The Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket airs on Saturdays at 5 PM and replays Sundays at 8 PM on Talk 107.3 FM in Baton Rouge. The show is hosted by Jay Ducote and won a Taste Award in January 2014 as the best food or drink based radio broadcast in the country. The producer of the show is Chris Courtney at Guaranty Broadcasting and the field producer is Charles Pierce from the Me and My Big Mouth Show. It is also available on iTunes. The show's sponsors include Calandro's Supermarket, Visit Baton Rouge, Le Creole Restaurant, Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning, Mama Della's N.Y. City Pizzeria, Restaurant IPO, Mason's Grill, Donner-Peltier Distillers (Rougaroux Rums and Oryza Vodka and Gin), Louisiana Cookin' Magazine, Juban's Restaurant, the Tin Roof Brewing Company, the Louisiana Culinary Institute and Triumph Kitchen.

Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… returns Sunday, May 19th & Sunday, June 9th

Jay and Peggy at a Meanwhile Book Signing

Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… the popular, unique, and festive food monologue show and now a bestseller coffee table/cookbook is back in Baton Rouge for the 3 year anniversary shows, on May 19th and June 9, 2013 at Boutin’s Restaurant.  I'm actually the emcee once again on this Sunday, May 19th, so reserve your tickets now!

Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… premiered as a monologue show with Baton Rouge personalities in May 2010 at The Myrtles Plantation and The Lyceum Ballroom. Over 250 foodies have shared their food stories in shows throughout Louisiana, Mississippi and California. The coffee table/cookbook launched in September 2012 was created and edited by Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, with photography by Troy Kleinpeter. The book has received rave reviews from Emeril, Rex Reed, and Pulitzer Prize winning author Jeffrey Marx, and has been featured in magazines, radio and television throughout the country.

Here's a sneak copy of this Saturday's Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket with special guests Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, Jim Urdiales, Bill Profita, and Diana Zollicoffer, all part of the upcoming shows!

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Jay acting as emcee for a Meanwhile show at Boutin's

Humorous and heartfelt, these personal food stories all have the common thread of food – our culture and relationships, personal life stories, past love affairs and more. “We’ve all experienced the highs and lows of life, which mostly revolve around our food experiences,” says creator/producer Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, a former actress and veteran event producer (Superstar Events-LA), a Baton Rouge native, LSU Graduate and 15-year resident of Los Angeles, CA. “Everyone has their own “Café Du Monde” —the place where they know what they are ordering, they know it is delicious, and they know they are with good friends and family and for that hour, life is really wonderful!”


Featured foodies/personalities sharing their stories include:

May 19th Show:
Emcee, Chef Jay Ducote – Baton Rouge Chef/Culinary Personality & Host of The Bite & Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket on Talk 107.3
Smiley Anders – The Advocate Columnist
Jim Urdiales – Chef and Owner of Mestizo’s Louisiana Mexican Restaurant
Pam Bordelon – The Advocate Social Columnist – Pam’s Party Line
Karen Profita – Management and Marketing Advisor, Host of Saturday Style Talk 107.3
Bill Profita – Host of The Bill Profita Show on Talk 107.3
Jim Engster – Owner/President of Louisiana Radio Network & Host of The Jim Engster Show
Victoria Green – Actress/Host
Peggy Sweeney-McDonald - President of Superstar Events-LA, Creator of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde Show and Best-Selling Coffee table/cookbook by Pelican Publishing

June 9th Show:
Emcee, Paul Arrigo – President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge
Missy Crews – Former Miss Louisiana and Louisiana International Film Festival Director of Communications
Gabby Loubiere – Owner of Brew HaHaw Coffee House
Vanda Gray – Owner of Body Fit Pilates
Daron Stiles – Actor and Featured in the Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde… book
Kat Rivera - Event Coordinator and Food Writer
Sean Rivera - Food Editor Dig Baton Rouge, Chef de Cuisine St. James Place
Myles Sweeney – Consultant and President of Myles Sweeney & Associates, LLC
John Gray – Music Educator and Musician The J Gray Jazz Band, The Mike Foster Project, The Soul Juke Box
Peggy Sweeney-McDonald - President of Superstar Events-LA, Creator of Meanwhile, Back at Café Du Monde Show and Best-Selling Coffee table/cookbook by Pelican Publishing

The shows will be presented at Boutin’s Restaurant May 19 & June 9th with doors opening at 6:00 PM and the show beginning at 7:00 PM show - Tickets are $35 and include show, buffet dinner, coffee/tea, tax & gratuity. A cash bar is available for purchase. Located at 8322 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70810. Limited Seating.

For Reservations call (225) 819-9862
Website: www.boutins.com

Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde...

The hit food monologue show that I've been proud to be a part of as a headline and emcee has now been transformed a coffee table book filled with stories from all walks of life.  Everyone has a story related to food, and the Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde... coffee table book is filled with 67 stories by everyone from chefs to college students and from politicians to journalists.

My good friend Peggy Sweeney-McDonald created the show and edited the book which is now out from Pelican Publishing.  I actually have a FOUR PAGE spread in the book (starting on page 66, if you're counting)!  My story gives a brief history of my love for food, some memorable experiences from LSU Tailgating, and the birth of Bite and Booze.  The book is a great gift for the holidays, a wonderful collectors item for a coffee table, and a spectacular tribute to Louisiana's culture as it relates to food and life.  Amen to that!

Jay sign's a copy of Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde...

The book has already gotten some very impressive praise from some big timers in the Culinary world!

"Good people, good food, good stories. This book is Louisiana!" —Jeffrey Marx, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of Season of Life

“Tasty and amazing stories about our favorite subject, FOOD!” –- Emeril & Alden Lagasse

“Peggy draws attention not only to our food but also to the people who make it part of the character of Louisiana.” --Chef John Besh, author of My New Orleans and My Family Table, co-author of The New

Orleans Program

“…Our experience with food – preparation, consumption and a focal point of our social interaction – are unique, memorable and, now, even the subject of monologues that are funny, poignant and quite revealing about the psyche of Louisianans.” —Jay Dardenne, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana

“I'm laughing, I'm hungry, I'm happy - when is the next edition?” —Lally Brennan co-proprietor of Commander's Palace and co-author of In The Land of Cocktails

“Inspiring, funny, entertaining stories of food, relationships, and life… A must-enjoy for readers

everywhere…” —Susan Irby “The Bikini Chef” and host of “Wine Dine and Workout” PBS

“…our oral and culinary traditions walk hand-in-hand. It is a Sunday potluck supper in book form. The beauty of Meanwhile, Back At Café DuMonde is that it captures that magic.” —Chef Stuart Reb Donald 2010 Gourmand World Cookbook Nominee

“…Page after page of so many wonderful experiences and recipes…I’m already salivating!" — Doreen Fang, Chef/Host, Dining with Doreen and Resident Chef of the Vegas Morning Blend

“What a charming book of food stories and history! I’m inspired to get in the kitchen or at least head to Café du Monde for a cup of coffee and plate of beignets.” – Erin Z. Bass, Publisher, Deep South Magazine

Jay and Peggy celebrate the release of Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde...

Want a copy of the book?  You can order it on Amazon!! 

Eleven Amazing Happenings of 2011

While I'm not one to follow the trends all the time, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the past while looking forward to the future.  I know "top 11 of 2011" lists and "12 things to look forward to in 2012" lists are all over the place right now, but this ain't my first rodeo.  Last year I came up with a top 10 list of items that I ate, drank, or blogged about during 2010.  Then I followed that up with 11 things I wanted to eat and drink more of in 2011.  Some of them I succeed, some proved to be impossible, and some I just didn't really do.  This year I decided to change it up a bit.  I tried to recall the top eleven memories or amazing things that happened to me over the past calendar year.  Somewhat in order of importance, though certainly not by scientific or well thought out criteria, here is my list that counts down from eleven:

11.  Victory at the Frankie's Dawg House 4th of July Hotdog Eating Contest

Winner, winner, hot dog dinner!

10.  KingCakeBR

Visit Baton Rouge, the Baton Rouge Social Media Association, and TommysTV collaborate with me on this project and it turned out to be a huge success!

9.  Emeril's Blogger Party and the start of Virtual Potluck

Calandro's Supermarket helped me out with a lot of the ingredients and I successfully cooked 9 recipes from Emeril's new book over a three week period this past Fall.  It also introduced me to the other bloggers who were selected that have now formed the Virtual Potluck!

8.  Viking Cooking School Outdoors

Photo taken on film, courtesy of Frank McMains

I got to help open the first ever Viking Cooking School Outdoors at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.  It was a fun and challenging month watching the school go through construction, dealing with logistics and equipment orders, all the way to the helping teach the opening class!

7.  Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde...

I had the pleasure of being a headliner and filming a segment for the TV pilot in 2010.  In 2011 I got to serve as a red carpet host and emcee for a couple shows and have submitted an entry for the coffee table book.  I'm so proud to be a part of what Peggy has built from this food monologue show!

6.  Eat St. on the Cooking Channel

Eat St. came to Baton Rouge to film three episodes for the Cooking Channel (and the Food Network in Canada) and I got give an interview for the show about Taco de Paco!

5.  Raise a Glass

"Raise a Glass" is a weekly radio show about the history, traditions, culture, production, and consumption of alcoholic beverages.  I host it with my brother Eric Ducote from BR Beer Scene.  The show airs on Fridays at 6 pm and replays Sundays at 4 pm on 96.9 FM WHYR Baton Rouge Community Radio.


4.  LSU Press Bite and Booze Cookbook Contract

Although it won't come out until 2013, signing my contract for the "Bite and Booze Cookbook" is certainly worthy of being on this list.  Now all I have to do is write it and wait!

3.  Forty Under 40

I had the extreme honor of being recognized as one of the Baton Rouge Business Report's Top Forty Under 40 recipients for 2011.  My mom and dad joined me for the awards banquet, which was also quite an honor!

2.  The Bite and Booze Radio Show

The Bite and Booze Radio Show on Talk 107.3 FM started in April 2011 and has been a consistent fixture in Baton Rouge's Saturday talk radio lineup ever since.  I actually just signed a contract for all of 2012 as well, so the Bite and Booze Radio Show is here to stay!  Get ready for more interviews with local chefs and some great food and drink talk radio!

1.  MasterChef

The audition process started in 2010, but I actually spent 10 days in Los Angeles in February of 2011 filming the first four episodes of MasterChef on Fox.  I didn't get a whole lot of air time out of it, but national television exposure is better than none!

Here's to an even better 2012!!!

Bite and Booze Two Year Update

A little over two years ago I started a blog about everything I eat and drink.  The whole idea of it was to give me a creative writing outlet that somehow, someway, made my food and beverage expenditures more productive.  I took a look at my credit card statements in September 2009 and said, "man, I spend a lot of money eating and drinking... why don't I write about it?"  The rest is history, and it has been one heck of a ride.  This blog led to other freelance food writing, lots of press and media attention, cook offs and barbeque competitions, two national television appearances (MasterChef and Eat St.), two local radio shows (Bite and Booze and Raise a Glass), and now to be recognized as one of Baton Rouge's Forty Under 40 for 2011.  It is quite an honor!



Plenty more has been going on in the Bite and Booze world.  I helped open up the first ever Viking Cooking School Outdoors from July to October.  I recently spoke with Chef John Folse in New Orleans along with Wendy Waren from the Louisiana Restaurant Association, Chef Patrick Mould, and Visit Baton Rouge's Paul Arrigo.  The panel on culinary tourism seemed to be a real hit!  Chef Folse also appeared on the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket recently and I'm going to record an episode of his show, Stirrin' it Up, really soon.  WBRZ also recently came to my house to film a Thanksgiving cooking segment.  Look for that to air the night before turkey day at 10 PM.

In October I emceed the return of the food monologue show "Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde..."  We had an amazing cast and the show was a lot of fun.  I also recorded a TV pilot with them at the end of 2010 and will be published in the Meanwhile coffee table book!

There are a whole lot of projects on tap for the future as well.  I can't really reveal all of them right now, but let's just say that blogs, magazines, and radio can lead to books and more video.  Bite and Booze is going strong.  Based on where the previous two years have brought me, I'm really excited to find out where the next two years will lead!  Thanks to everybody who is reading this or has ever read my blog or listened to my radio show or watched one of my TV appearances whether local or national.  I couldn't do this without your support!  And if you happen to want to lend additional support, Bite and Booze cups, koozies, and shirts are available in the Bite and Booze store!

Happy Holidays and cheers!

Catch "Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde..."

"Meanwhile, Back at Cafe du Monde..." will hold its 32nd food monologue show tomorrow (Sunday, October 16th) at 5:30 PM.  Boutin's Restaurant on Bluebonnet Blvd. will be the host for the evening of gastronomic glory.  I'll actually serve as the emcee for the event and we'll have headliners sharing their favorite food stories including General Russel Honore, Paul Arrigo from Visit Baton Rouge, Chef Nathan Gresham from Beausoleil, Celeste Landry from Firebelly Concepts and Peggy Sweeney-McDonald, creator of the show.

General Russel Honore, Peggy Sweeney-McDonald and Jay Ducote in the Talk 107.3 FM Studio

I recently had Peggy, General Honore and Paul Arrigo on the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket to discuss the food monologue event, the Louisiana Bicentennial, and lots of other food and culture related topics.  You can listen to the full episode below or you can find it and subscribe on iTunes.

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Photo Courtesy of Curt Gibbs/ExperienceLA

Sunday's show is at Boutin's.  Dinner starts at 5:30 and the show kicks off at 6:30.  I really hope to see you there for a night full of stories, laughter and celebration all revolving around food!