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.

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.

Taking a Bite Out of Chicago

by Hannah Wilson, intern

Eating your way through any city can be an intimidating challenge, especially in one of the biggest cities in the United States. However, being a Chicago native, I’ve spent almost 22 years eating my way through this city. Although I don’t think I could ever eat everything the city has to offer, I can assure you that these culinary inventions of Chicago are worth tracking down.

Chicago Style Hot Dog

A true Chicago classic, an all-beef wiener on a poppy seed bun. You can find these bad boys topped with yellow mustard, chopped white onions, bright green sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear tomato wedges and a sprinkle of celery salt but never, ever ketchup.

Gene & Jude’s, in the Chicagoland area, is said to have the number one hot dog in America since 1945. They don’t even supply Ketchup in their store.

The Twinkie

In 1930, James Dewar invented this spongy, indestructible treat. In 1980, about a billion Twinkies were sold each year.

Italian Beef

Photo credit: followmefoodie.com

Thin slices of seasoned roast beef on a thick, Italian-style roll are the base of an Italian Beef. Chicago natives often order it juicy, which means it’s dipped into the juices that the beef is cooked in, and smother it in sweet and/or hot peppers. This is a Chicago dish that dates back to the 1930’s.

Chicago Mix Popcorn

Photo credit: blogspot.com

An unlikely pair of cheese and caramel flavored popcorn is literal heaven in your mouth. I don’t know where it came from, or who thought of it, but bless your soul. This Chicago staple can be found all throughout the city, almost on every block like Starbucks. You definitely shouldn’t leave without trying it!

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

Photo credit: unbirthdayparty

I can best describe this as a pie; it is baked in a deep, steel pan with large amounts of cheese and chunky tomato sauce. Toppings that would usually go on top of a pizza before being baked are actually baked within the pizza, in-between the cheese and sauce. A native knows that tackling this tasty tradition requires a fork and knife.

There can never be a unanimous “best deep dish” restaurant because everyone has their own opinions, there are different style of deep dish and each one holds special place in my heart. 

The possibilities are endless when deciding what to eat in Chicago, but leaving without trying what the city is known for, would just be a shame.

In Pizza We Trust

by Daniel Harris

First, a haiku:

Pizza, so yummy

I could eat it all the time

I love you, pizza

Here at Bite and Booze, we believe pizza is less a food and more a way of life. #Pizzaluminati

#pizzaluminati

Some like it simple, maybe just cheese or pepperoni, and others like to throw on so many toppings you can barely see the cheese. Despite how you enjoy your pizza, you’ll love to feast your eyes on a few of our recent pizza pics.

Il Forno a Legna

Shrimp, smoked salmon, mushroom, mozzarella, parsley pizza at Il Forno in McAllen, Texas.

Jay D’s Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Jay D's Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Frank's Pizza Napoletana

Crawfish lagniappe pizza from Frank's in Shreveport

Lüke

Starting off brunch at @lukeneworleans with the flammkuchen, a southern German style caramelized onion, cheese, fig and bacon tart. Have you eaten at Lüke or other @chefjohnbesh restaurants?

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Oct 11, 2015 at 10:59am PDT

Dat'z Italian

Wood-fired pizza from Dat'z Italian at the Baton Rouge Blues Fest

Red Zeppelin

Loving on this leaning tower of pizza @redzeppelinpizza with @ruerusike! What are y'all getting into for lunch today? 🍕

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Sep 8, 2015 at 11:32am PDT

Jay D’s Barbecue Venison Pizza

Gimme pizza! P-I-Z-Z-A! Head to biteandbooze.com and check out @jayducote's Barbecue Venison Pizza recipe, using @hugjayd barbecue sauce and ingredients from @indieplate! #pizza #gimmepizza #yummy #indieplate #foodpics

A photo posted by Jay Ducote (@biteandbooze) on Mar 7, 2016 at 8:27am PST

Feasting & Festing: A Look at the 2016 Baton Rouge Blues Fest

by Sydney Blanchard

A gorgeous day in #goBR at the Baton Rouge Blues Fest

I'll admit, I was pretty sleep on the Baton Rouge Blues Festival until last year. I think a combination of the festival's rebranding and Blair's involvement as the Food Chair put the festival on my radar, and I've got to say, for a free festival, the Blues Fest kills it.

In the last two years, the festival has hosted some incredible blues legends like Buddy Guy as well as up and coming local talent like Honeyvibe on multiple stages in downtown Baton Rouge. While music acts entertain all day, beer and food vendors keep festival goers hydrated and well-fed.

But don't think you're in for typical festival food. Fried foods and burgers abound, but this year's fest brought on some insanely delicious food vendors.

On Saturday, my girlfriend and I biked to the festival early, and I was ready to eat.

I started with this boudin stuffed pretzel roll from Rösch Bakehaus with a side of homemade mustard for dipping, and I think I might have been their first customer at the festival. For some reason, all the other booths had lines of people waiting to be served, but no one was in line for the pretzels.

Boudin stuffed pretzel bun from the Baton Rouge Blues Fest

I feel sorry for anyone who didn't try this pretzel bun. I love the sweet and doughy flavor of pretzels, and combined with boudin and mustard, this made for a heavenly bite and only set me back $5. Blair said business picked up for them once the word got out, and for good reason.

Ryan opted for a hot sausage dog from MRTN Ventures out of Mandeville. She and I both love specialty hot dogs (and Costco hotdogs), and this one surpassed her high hot dog standards.

Hot dog with toppings at the Baton Rouge Blues Fest

Next, I begged my friend Alex to let me snap a picture of her wood-fired personal pizza from Dat'z Italian. I didn't get to try the pizza much to my dismay, but it looked and smelled delicious, and pizza is definitely not typical festival fare. 

Wood-fired pizza from Dat'z Italian at the Baton Rouge Blues Fest

There's no better way to cool down this time of year than with a snowball from Cool Tiger Ice. One of my favorite snowball stands in town, these ladies make a mean summer treat. When I die, bury me with perfectly fine shaved ice and cover me with rainbow syrups, please. Gotta represent, even from the afterlife.

Rainbow snowball from Cool Tiger Ice at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival

There are just a few of some of the amazing food vendors who served up local flavor at this year's Baton Rouge Blues Fest. I wish I'd gotten the chance to try them all! I guess there's always next year.

Blair's Five Favorite Bites in McAllen, Texas

by Blair Loup

Recently, Jay and I were invited to eat and drink our way through McAllen, Texas. It’s an obscure but magical place with 24-hour taco joints.

The Rio Grande Valley area is teeming with authentic Mexican cuisine, but most of the best bites we had may surprise you. Here’s a look at the five best bites I had in McAllen:

Il Forno a Legna

Shrimp, smoked salmon, mushroom, mozzarella, parsley pizza at Il Forno.

This Italian eatery is brand new, and the people of McAllen are as stoked to have them churning out beautiful pizzas.

I’ve never had smoked salmon on a pizza before, and now I feel like my whole life has been a lie. The seafood married with the earthiness of the mushroom, and parsley intrigued my taste buds the way no pizza has before.

The Lunchbox on 10th

Trout en pappillote with fresh herbs, carrots, squash, and zucchini at Lunchbox.

Chef Marcel has created something truly unique here. His menu is a fantastic dance of Latin American, Asian, Italian, and European cuisines.

“En Papillotte” is a classic French fish dish where that day’s catch is cooked inside a paper pouch with savory herbs, butter, and vegetables. This trout in a pouch was prepared to the point of maximum deliciousness. I’m currently penning a love letter to butter to show my appreciation for the dumbfounding effect it has on proteins.

Bodega Tavern & Kitchen

Beet fries at Bodega.

I don’t know what I was expecting, but Bodega spoke to me on so many levels. The first thing I noticed was the meat curing room. Chef Adam Cavazos turned the previous owner’s giant fish tank into a curing room you can see from across the restaurant.

In my opinion, Chef Adam’s great cocktail program and beautiful restaurant why in comparison to his vegetable menu. He treats vegetable sides as composed dishes, and to me that warrants sainthood.

If you know me, you know I love beets. These are beet fries with a smoked aioli sprinkled with funky blue cheese and crunchy pepitas; a dish that would sway any beet doubter.

Ms. G’s Tacos n’ More

Barbacoa taco from Ms. G's.

I am a taco fiend. You may remember my deep mourning over the loss of our beloved Taco n Sabor in Baton Rouge, so I had to get my fix in a town riddled with tacos. There are 24-hour tacos, grab-and-go tacos, drive-thru tacos, and even gas station tacos.

I tried them all, but none were better than Ms. G’s. This barbacoa taco changed my life. Barbacoa is mostly, if not all, beef cheek and tongue. While that may make some cringe, adventurous eaters know that this meat tastes like the best beef roast you’ve ever had, but better.

Salt New American Table

Compart Duroc Pork Chop, Huilacoche Tamale, corn relish at SALT.

Chef Larry Delgado is something special. We had the opportunity to have dinner at his restaurant with him and his wife, Jessica, and we were stuffed to the brim.
When they brought out this pork job, Jay’s jaw fell to the ground. This cut has to be butchered in house and contains the chop, the loin, and the belly and is sous vide, pan seared, and then dropped in the fryer. It’s a beast. If you slice it all the way across, it’s one of the most perfect bites of pork you’ll ever have.

Be on the lookout soon to see what Jay has to say about out eating and drinking adventures in McAllen!

Barbecue Bites: Jay D's Barbecue Venison Pizza

Sometimes when you get your hands on some venison and some fresh dough from Indie Plate, you have to just put it in the pizza.

Behold, our Jay D's Barbecue Venison Pizza recipe! All the hunters with a surplus of ground venison in their freezers this time of year, fear no more.

Jay D's Barbecue Venison Pizza

Jay D’s Barbecue Venison Pizza

Makes 2 10-12” Pizzas

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 lb ground venison
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp red chili flakes
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 pack of Indie Plate pizza dough, divided in half
1/2 cup Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
6 oz shredded white Indie Plate cheddar cheese
1 red onion, diced
3 serrano peppers, sliced thinly to form little circles


Preheat oven to 375 F with two cast iron skillets inside.

In a large skillet, heat one tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Place the venison in the pan and break apart with a wooden spoon. Brown the meat in the olive oil for five minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, chili flakes, salt, and pepper, and continue to brown the venison, stirring often, about five more minutes. Reserve.

Roll or toss out half of the pizza dough. Work the dough until it's large enough to cover the bottom of your cast iron skillets. Remove the skillets from the oven. Drizzle one tablespoon of olive oil in each skillet, coating as much of the bottom as possible. Lay the dough down in the oil in each skillet. Pour two tablespoons of Jay D’s Louisiana Barbecue Sauce onto each dough and spread it out. On top of the sauce, layer the ground venison followed by the cheese and then red onion and serrano.

Place skillets back in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from the oven and slide the pizzas onto a cutting board. Allow to cool for a few minutes. Drizzle each pizza with two tablespoons of barbecue sauce, then slice and serve.

Dare to Pair: Here is a list of items that pair reasonably well with Jay D's Blanc Du Bois

– Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

Jay D's Blanc Du Bois shot by Nicole Colvin at the Olive or Twist wine launch on May 20, 2015. 

Jay D's Blanc Du Bois won't be on shelves for much longer. We only corked 1,000 bottles, and most of those have been snatched up already. But if you can get your hands on one, or if you're one of the lucky few with a bottle sitting in the fridge, feel free to use this very official Jay D's Blanc Du Bois Pairing Guide to take your sipping to the next level.

Popcorn 

I discovered this pairing by accident. As it turns out, the buttery, salty flavors of microwave popcorn go swimmingly with the tart, refreshing flavors in the Blanc Du Bois. Jay recommends seasoning the popcorn with his FNS buddy Arnold Myint's Herbs de Provence or with some Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning!

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Barbecue chicken pizza made with Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue sauce. 

It almost goes without saying that Jay D's Blanc Du Bois was made to pair perfectly with outdoor cooking. But if outdoor cooking isn't your thing, try Jay D's with barbecue chicken pizza. All the flavors of the outdoors combined with the honeysuckle and pear flavors in the wine work together magically. Check out our recipe for barbecue chicken pizza using Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce here!

Pistachios 

I love contrasting the crisp flavors of a white wine with a handful of salty nuts. Something about it just works without being too filling. Try pairing salted pistachios with a glass of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois, or if you're feeling crazy, maybe try pairing the wine with some pistachio gelato. Who's going to stop you?

Chicken Salad

Calvin's Bocage Market's chicken salad is legendary. Photo from calvinsbocage.com. 

There's no greater love story than that of white wine and chicken. The two are a match made in heaven. Also made in heaven? Calvin's chicken salad. Recently I nearly pitched a fit when I went to grab a container of the stuff for a beach trip and another shopper stood directly in the way of the chicken salad. Grab your favorite crackers, a couple of pounds of Baton Rouge's favorite chicken salad and a glass of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois and call it a night.

(Bite and Booze bonus: Check out this vintage video of Calvin himself appearing on NBC nightly news in 1996!)

Hot Dogs

Jay D's Blanc Du Bois tastes like summer. You know what else tastes like summer? That's right. HOT DOGS. I can't even express my excitement at the idea of an outdoor hotdog cookout and a glass (or three) of Blanc Du Bois. A little mustard, a little ketchup, and a dash of relish on a pork or sausage hot dog, surrounded by a fresh, toasted bun washed down with a cold glass of Jay D's? Sign me up.

Fro Yo

If you're feeling especially indulgent, this is the pairing for you. Counter Culture's Humphrey, a frozen yogurt treat with strawberries, bananas, grapes, and granola drizzled with honey, works well with the Blanc Du Bois. The fruit flavors in the wine compliment the fruits in the yogurt, and the tartness in the wine is balanced by the tartness in the yogurt. 

Hummus

Ruth's is my favorite locally made hummus.

Ruth's Hummus tastes fresh and lemony, and it's perfect for dipping just about anything. It's locally-made and versatile, just like the blanc du bois. Grab some vegetables, your favorite pita, and a glass of Jay D's Blanc Du Bois and snack outside by the pool on a hot day and thank me later.

Barbecue Bites: Jay D's Chicken Pizza

Jay D's Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Whether it's quesadillas, nachos, egg rolls, or pizza: put barbecue chicken with Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce on it. It's an easy way to impress your friends with scrumptious snackage. A scene from Portlandia staring Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein comes to mind:

Jay D's Barbecue Chicken Pizza

Makes 2 servings

1 store bought pizza crust
5 oz. Jay D's Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
1 ½ cup cooked chicken, shredded
1 ½ cups Monterey Jack Cheese
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced green onion for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Roll out the pizza dough and place on a pizza pan or large baking sheet. Spread the barbecue sauce all over crust. Toss chicken with 2 oz. barbecue sauce. Top with chicken, cheese, and red onion. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the crust is golden. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Dolce Vita: Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Chef Bogdan and I in front of his Nepalese oven made with the clay of Mt. Vesuvius!

Taking the Bite and Booze Radio Show on the road to New Orleans meant a visit to my old buddy Chef Bogdan at Dolce Vita Wood Fired Pizza. You may know him better as the fiery Romanian that had a Baton Rouge food truck with a wood fired brick oven inside his trailer. When he was in Baton Rouge, Chef Bogdan played on our curiosity to lure us in and then earned his way into our souls with his charming personality and ridiculously delicious pizza. Unfortunately for us, his trailer got mixed up in two separate accidents, neither of which were his fault, and while he and his team continue the search for the perfect brick and mortar location in Baton Rouge, Dolce Vita is currently open on St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans. We were there recently to record an episode of the Bite and Booze Radio Show presented by Calandro's Supermarket with Blair Loup, Charles Pierce, Jeff Herman, and of course, the always quotable Chef Bogdan:

Bianca: Mozzarella, Gorganzola, Reggiano, Fresh Mozzarellam, Capicola, and Proscuitto

Margherita: Fresh Basil and Cheese

Shiny New Toys: A Taste of Shreveport-Bossier's New Kids on the Block

While there are plenty of Shreveport-Bossier staples, some of which we covered yesterday, there are also some new kids on the block that aren't afraid to make a scene. One of those is Sevendipity Café. Husband and wife duo Scott and Liz Roebuck have taken a whack at the famed Cronut (fried croissant dough in the shape of a donut)...but what's more is Scott's Creauxnuts! He fills alternating pockets with different fillings, hits them with a glaze and then blows your mind. Simply put, this guy has creauxnuts that make you go nuts, and has been selling hundreds a week. If you're ever in the area, you've got to stop by--word on the street is they have phenomenal lunch as well. Before you try anything though, you have to have a slice of their homemade bread. It is, as Scott Roebuck says, "our bread and butter."

Sevendipity's Homemade Bread topped with fresh Mayhaw Jelly

This particular creauxnut, filled with raspberry blackberry filling and banana filling melted in my mouth. The citrus glaze brightened up the flavors and the crushed pistachios added a nice texture element to the dough.

Raspberry Blackberry & Banana Filled Creauxnuts with a Citrus Glaze and Crushed Pistachios

Frank's Pizza Napoletana opened its doors in 2012. The area's only true Pizza Napoletana, Frank gave us a show of some of his best pies served with some Great Raft beer. They have excellent salads and pastas served alongside some phenomenal cocktails as well!

First up: The Crawfish Lagniappe Pizza. One would think the flavors of Louisiana don't belong on a pizza, but one would be wrong. With spicy sautéed Louisiana crawfish covered in Cajun Trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), roasted Andouille sausage, Creole roasted garlic panna, Pecorino Romano, homemade Mozzarella, and a spritz of basil oil the flavors came together so well, I like to think of it as the gumbo of pizza.

The Crawfish Lagniappe Pizza

The Too Duckin' Good pizza at Frank's is, well, better than good! An Italian flour dough is topped with Panna, Parmigiano, caramelized onions, fontina, gorgonzola, house made Hudson Valley Moulard Duck Confit, sliced pears and then drizzled with a little local honey. If you've never tried a rich, decadent pizza, you're missing out. This pie had character and a luscious flavor profile that would go great with a bottle of red wine.

The Too Duckin' Good Pizza

The Margherita Pizza

Hot Passion Geauxsicle: Pineapple, Passion Fruit, and Jalapeño

There's nothing like grabbing a gourmet popsicle after a day of exploring Shreveport! Luckily for us, Shreveport is home to a killer popsicle shop: Geauxsicles. Geauxsicles is located in an old bank where they use the deposit drawer to transport drive-thru patrons their tasty pops. They have a bunch of flavors to choose from so it was hard to make and delicious decisions! I went for the Hot Passion...this icy treat was made with fresh pineapple, jalapeños, and passion fruit. The spice kicks you in the back of the throat like a stubborn mule but the sweetness of the fresh fruit balances everything out. If you want to try some, you can have them shipped right to your door!

Last but not least, Great Raft Brewing Co. is making a crazy amount of waves in the craft beer scene. The first brewery to open up in Shreveport since before prohibition has recently been named one of the "10 New Breweries to Watch, from D.C. to California" by Bon Appétit and they have rooted themselves in the heart of locals. One of my favorite things about the brewery is their taproom. It has a great design and atmosphere, their pint glasses are unique, and the owners and staff couldn't be friendlier. Specializing in both lagers and ales, Great Raft has three year-round brews and quite a few seasonal taps as well. Their flagships, Southern Drawl Pale Lager, Reasonably Corrupt Black Lager, and Commotion American Pale Ale are super popular and come in beautifully designed cans as well as on tap. If you're ever up in North Louisiana, stop by, grab a pint with some friends and taste some food from local food trucks that park on their loading dock!

Restaurant Impossible to Film at Mama Della's Pizzeria This Week

Mama Della's N.Y. City Pizzeria

Restaurant Impossible, the hit Food Network show hosted by Robert Irvine, will be in Baton Rouge this week to film an episode at Mama Della’s N.Y. City Pizzeria.

Though it won't be released until the fall of this year, the restaurant will be getting 2014 off to an interesting start with a two day makeover that is scheduled to take place January 9th and 10th. If anybody would like to volunteer to be a part of the remodeling crew, you need to email twentz@shootersinc.com TODAY with FN BATON ROUGE VOLUNTEERS in the subject line and include your name, shift or shifts you'd like to work, and a phone number. Work shifts will be 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Volunteers will paint, craft, construct, remodel, clean, and decorate. Skilled contractors such as electricians, plumbers and painters are also encouraged to volunteer. Volunteers are asked to wear comfortable clothes and closed toe shoes or boots with no logos.

Mama Della's Margherita Pizza

The Grand Re-opening will be Friday night, but as far as I know all the reservations have been booked for the evening. Don't worry though, you'll have plenty of time to check out the new space before the show actually airs.

I'm optimistic that this will be a great experience for Mama Della's and for Baton Rouge. Mama Della's pizza is truly great. Owner and chef Barry Kalt knows what he is doing with the pie. But he also knows that he needs help with the overall dining experience including the atmosphere and customer service. I'll be interested to see what Robert Irvine says about the pizza and other menu items. I'll also be interested to find out how the restaurant gets renovated and what is done with the front-of-house dining experience. Hopefully more than anything, Mama Della's gets the kind of makeover it needs to become a Baton Rouge pizza joint that we can all be proud of for years to come, and when this episode airs on the Food Network, it will end with a success story of another restaurant saved by Restaurant Impossible.