Aw Shucks! It's National Oysters on the Half Shell Day!

by Sarah Grimball, intern

It’s a day worth celebrating! Sometimes all you need is a platter of oysters and a good drink to set you right. We love holidays that celebrate food and we hope you hit up your favorite oyster bar after taking a look back on some of the best oysters we’ve devoured in the past:

Bacon & Brie Baked Oysters

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

"What’s not to love about a Gulf oyster covered in a creamy Brie cheese sauce with specks of bacon and baked?" 🍹Between Two Shells is up on the blog now! Read more about our favorite @joliepearloysterbar pairings there 👻 #oyster #oysters #joliepearloysterbar #oldfashioned #pairings

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 23, 2015 at 7:33am PST

Murder Point Oysters straight out of the water

Murder Point in Gulf Shores, AL

We're about to chow down on some @murderpointoysterco #butterlove #oysters! Who wants some? #oco2015 #visitalbeaches

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 6, 2015 at 8:45am PST

Chargrilled Oysters topped with Cajun Corn Maque Choux

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

Chargrilled #oysters topped with Cajun tasso corn maque choux at @hangoutcookoff in @gulfshoresorangebeach! Not too shabby, if I do say so myself. #oco2015 #oystercookoff #cornmaquechoux #visitalbeaches #cajuntasso #cajun

A post shared by Bite & Booze (@biteandbooze) on Nov 7, 2015 at 10:35am PST

Chargrilled Oysters with a Green Garlic House-Pickled Jalapeño and Bacon Butter

Sac-a-Lait in New Orleans, LA

Buffalo Chargrilled Oyster and a Chafunkta Kingfish Cream Ale

Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar in Baton Rouge, LA

Chargrilled Oysters in Curry Butter and House-Made Hot Sauce

Acre in Auburn, AL

Best Bites of 2016: Blair's Picks

by Blair Loup

I had the best of intentions for 2016. Full of existential expectations in my 25th year, I dubbed this the “Year of Blair." Well, if you know me, you know how that turned out. The year was filled with peaks and valleys, but I feel very fortunate to say that the majority of the peaks came from the opportunities afforded to me as a member of the Bite and Booze team.

On top of taking an epic road trip of a lifetime to the James Beard House in New York and their Chefs & Champagne event in the Hamptons, I took a lovely solo vacation to Georgia and we’re getting amped up for the opening of Gov’t Taco in the summer of 2017.

As per usual at this fantastic place of work, I did plenty of traveling this year and consequently ate a ton of amazing things. While this year-end post is one of my favorites to write, it’s also the most torturous. Here are the best things I ate this year:

Smoked Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

Pop-up at Tin Roof Brewing in Baton Rouge, LA

Smoked Tomato Soup with Basil Oil

I know…surprising that something as simple as a bowl of soup can make the list, but on this chilly January night at Tin Roof, this soup was ON TIME. Executive Chef at soon-to-be open Kahlurah St. Grill Kelley McCann and Masterchef Season 6 contestant and owner of Robear Ln. opening in White Star Market, Jesse Romero stole my heart with this one.

The soup’s consistency blew me away. It wasn’t too creamy, but just super velvety. The smoke flavor peeked through at all the right moments and the basil oil set it over the edge. It was a damn good bowl of soup.

Orange Zest and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Lunchbox on 10th in McCallen, TX

Orange Zest and Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

I’m not one for sweets unless there’s chocolate involved, but this Panna Cotta had me dumbfounded. I had and still haven’t had another Panna Cotta this perfect in my life. Oftentimes I find them to be too firm or so loose they’re breaking on the plate into a pile of mush, but this one retained its structure and melted in my mouth.

Aside form the exquisite technical execution, the flavors were bright and perfectly balanced.

Chargrilled Oysters

Sac-a-Lait in New Orleans, LA

Chargrilled Oysters with a Green Garlic House-Pickled Jalapeño and Bacon Butter

I feel like almost all chargrilled oysters are delicious, but these were different somehow. I will jump at any chance to dine at the beautiful, always stellar Sac-a-Lait. I have an enormous respect for Chefs Sam & Cody Carroll as friends and the utmost regard for them as some of the best chefs in the south. If you have not been, you must go, like, now.

Instead of the traditional garlic butter, the cook their oysters with a green garlic house-pickled jalapeño and bacon butter. I think the street name for it is crack.

Plated in a terra cotta plant saucer and river stones, the presentation fits the restaurant like a glove. Doing everything right always, that’s Sac-a-Lait.

Beet Sorbet

SALT New American Table in McAllen, TX

Beet Sorbet

I love beets. They are so precious to me. I don’t know where it came from, but they are hands down my number one favorite. Having that said, I’ve had beets in about as many ways Bubba says you can cook shrimp, but it wasn’t until this year that I tasted a beet sorbet.

Several who read this will automatically turn your nose up at thinking about beets as a dessert, but you’re wrong.

This sorbet was a beet swan song. A gracious balance of sweetness while maintaining the full flavor characteristics of the beet is tricky, but they did it!

Som Tam Paa

Alfie’s in Washington, D.C.

Papaya Salad with Fried Chilis and Lime

We had the pleasure of stopping by to visit Jay’s Food Network Star cast mate Alex McCoy at his pop-up restaurant, Alfie’s. As you might recall, Alex has an affinity for Asian and, more specifically, Thai cuisine. 

After mingling with the staff for a bit, Alex piled the dishes on one after one. It’s always special to be able to taste the love, and in Alex’s case, the authenticity and honor in his food. I could tell that he could back up every bit of his passion with dishes that showcase a culture.

Being the heat freak I am, this papaya salad rocked my world. Tart, refreshing and spicy as all Hell, this textural wonderland keeps you coming back for more heat every three seconds.

Open-Faced Tamale

Araña in New Orleans, LA

Open-Faced Tamale

Araña is easily one of my favorite places to eat in New Orleans. Chef Richard is a magician with sauces and plates up some creative, re-imagined classics while still holding down the fort of some Mexican favorites.

This open–faced tamale is a fried rectangular prism of grits (instead of traditional tamale masa) dredged in a mildly spicy, insanely flavorful sauce and topped with tender chicken tinga, brightly pickled onions and queso fresco. Boom baby!

A shot of whiskey soaking with the fat of a 2 year cured ham, a drop of Poirier Cane Syrup and a bite of 2 year ham

Acre in Auburn, AL

2 Year Ham, Whiskey soaked with 2 Year Ham Fat and Poirier Cane Syrup

With a constant rain of accolades, Acre has become one of the top farm-to-table restaurants in the country.

Chef David Bancroft grows a lot of produce on site and throughout the parking lot of Acre. We were happy to stop by on our way back from New York for an incredible meal. Chef David wanted to “bring us back home” with some southern decadence and they took care of us big time.

While everything we had blew us away, I know Chef David’s charcuterie is a passion project of his. He treated us to some of his 2 year cured ham and brought out a special mason jar of whiskey that had been soaking with the trimmings of that ham. A shot of pig fat whiskey, a drop of Poirier Can Syrup and a bite of ham and we felt right at home.

Chilled Spicy Noodles

Momofuku Noodle Bar in New York City, NY

Chilled Spicy Noodles with Thai Basil, Cashews, and Sichuan Sausage

David Chang means a lot to me. When I first got the job at Bite and Booze, I had no clue what I was in for. Like most freshly graduated 22 years olds, I knew that I had a job, but didn’t exactly know what I was doing with myself. I immediately started watching every beer and food related shows on Netflix imaginable (which in 2013 wasn’t many). I stumbled across season 1 of ‘Mind of a Chef’ and my world turned upside down. David Chang was the point person for most of that season and drove me to submerse myself in the culinary world.

Jay brought me to Momofuku Noodle Bar when we went to NYC for Sam & Cody Carroll’s James Beard Dinner a year ago, but we went back for a full on Momofuku day this summer when we were in town for our own James Beard Dinner.

This will probably always be one of the best days of my life, mostly because I decided to order differently than everyone at the table and go for these famously spicy noodles.

The entire bowl covered in these candied, crunchy cashews holds electric green, sweet, but spicy noodles. It’s the kind of good heat that you can’t put down. Bite after bite my love grew deeper and deeper. The rich basil flavor complimented by a crispy, savory Sichuan sausage peppered with the sweet, crunchy cashews still haunts my memory.

I legitimately think of these noodles every day. Every day. Still.

Check out Chuck P's Best Bites of 2016 (Burger Edition)

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.

Best Bites of 2015: Sydney's Picks

by Sydney Blanchard

Looking back, 2015 has been a pretty big year for me. I graduated from college (Manship, represent), landed a real job (thanks to Jay), and started paying bills for the first time (the Internet is expensive, yo).

I've also had the opportunity to travel across the country and try some amazing dishes. Whittling my 2015 eats down to my five favorites was no easy task. But as you'll see, a pattern emerged.

For me, Louisiana food wins 80 percent of the time.

Boudin along the Boudin Trail Lake Charles, LA

Smoked boudin in Lake Charles

Smoked, boiled, or balled, the state's best boudin inarguably hails from Southwest Louisiana. My family is from Eunice, Louisiana, and growing up I was convinced there was no better boudin than the boudin coming out of Eunice. My trip to Lake Charles proved me wrong. Any stop along the Boudin Trail yields delicious, smokey, seasoned results.

Jay's Brisket at the Gnarly Barley GnarBQ Hammond, LA

Jay's brisket is one of the best things in the world

My official nickname since starting with Bite & Booze as an intern back in January has been "brown nose," because apparently my enthusiasm for all things Bite & Booze comes across as sucking up for brownie points. That being said, back in October, Jay cooked all sorts of smoked barbecue goodness for Gnarly Barley's GnarBQ. My favorite of all the proteins served was this brisket, rubbed down with Jay D's Sweet & Spicy Rub. Tender, juicy, sweet and spicy with a crispy exterior, this brisket melted in our mouths. If that makes me a brown nose, so be it!

Alligator & Mashed Mirliton at the James Beard House New York, NY

#bayouinthebigapple

Chefs Sam and Cody Carroll of Sac-A-Lait in New Orleans have had a hell of a year, arguably culminating in their invitation to cook at the James Beard House in New York. To show our support, we took a team trip up to New York to help Sam and Cody where we could and to enjoy a phenomenal dinner in the famous house. The sweet fried alligator and mashed mirliton dish was one of the first courses, and it simply wowed my taste buds. The Carrolls' cuisine tastes nostalgic to me; just like the food I grew up eating, only elevated with beautiful plating and a sense of nuance. Luckily, this dish is on their New Orleans menu, and comes highly recommended by me.

Strawberry Pie at Strawn's Shreveport, LA

This is what dreams are made of

Around Shreveport, Strawn's Eat Shop is an institution. They're known for their icebox pies, and while there on a media trip I was lucky enough to see first hand how the pies are made and to try a variety of their famous pies. The strawberry icebox pie is simple in construction: fresh strawberries are combined with a red, syrupy strawberry red sauce, topped with a heap of confectioners sugar, and then finished off with whipped cream. That's it. But this pie is the stuff of dreams, light and fluffy and not overly sweet, but decadent nonetheless. Word on the street is City Pork Kitchen & Pie took some inspiration from Strawn's when drawing up their icebox pies.

Family-style Lunch at Woodson Ridge Farms Oxford, MS

Every element of this Woodson Ridge Farm lunch was aesthetically perfect

It's safe to say I fell in love with Oxford, Mississippi. My trip was filled to the brim with delicious food, the weather was perfect for our entire stay, and I got to learn about the historical importance of the town. One meal in particular stood out, and that was a homestyle fried chicken lunch prepared by Elizabeth Heiskell of Woodson Ridge Farms in Oxford. Every element of this meal was perfect: we had spicy collard greens, roasted root vegetables from the farm, a brussel sprout slaw, served family style outdoors at a big wooden table in the middle of the farm. It was true Southern decadence.

Insta-Worthy Cocktails in Baton Rouge and New Orleans

by Sydney Blanchard

I don't know about y'all, but any time I go out and order a cocktail, I feel compelled to photograph it and post it on Instagram. There's just something so fun and novel about ordering a pretty cocktail. And if it tastes great? Even better.

Louisiana (New Orleans, specifically) is the birthplace of the cocktail, and what better way to celebrate local cocktail culture than to make a not-so-comprehensive list of some of the most photo-worthy cocktails we've had in the Baton Rouge/New Orleans area?

Without further adieu...here's our list! What would you include?

Grapefruit Margarita at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar

A little sweet, a little tart, and adorably pink, the grapefruit margarita at Jolie Pearl is perfect for pairing with oysters. 

Vodka Freeze at Bistro Byronz

This snow-white, boozy vodka freeze is a Bistro Byronz favorite.Topped with a cherry and a lime slice, it's also a guaranteed like-generator on Instagram. 

Blueberry Hill at Olive or Twist

You can't get an ugly cocktail at Olive or Twist. This muddled blueberry cocktail bursts with berry flavor and color, making it perfectly photogenic.

Sweet-T-Sway at Lock & Key Whiskey Bar

As gorgeous as it is delicious, Lock & Key's picture perfect Sweet-T-Sway combines sweet tea, pomegranate liqueur, muddled mint and hand-crushed ice. 

Jalapeño Pineapple Cilantro Margarita at Araña

Visually stunning chunky pineapple and bright green jalapeño bits make this margarita at Araña pop (and will make all your followers envious).

Damn Thistle at Sac-A-Lait

Sweet, syrupy, and adorned with an edible hibiscus flower, the picturesque Damn Thistle at Sac-A-Lait features Donner-Peltier's Oryza Vodka and tastes like a dream.

Culinary Bucket List: "Bayou in the Big Apple" Dinner at the James Beard House

by Jay Ducote

Jay Ducote at the James Beard Hous

In the food world, the James Beard Awards are pretty much the "Oscars" of the industry. The James Beard Foundation, named after the legendary American culinarian, hands out the prestigious awards to chefs, restaurateurs, food writers, and more.

The Foundation converted James Beard's old brownstone house in Manhattan into their offices and a space for one-time-only dinners with rotating chefs from around the country.

While winning a James Beard Award is one of the ultimate milestones of a career in the culinary arts, getting invited to cook at the James Beard house is also one of those monumental achievements for aspiring chefs.

Being in the food world and even carrying a membership card for the James Beard Foundation, one of my bucket list dreams has been to dine at the James Beard House. However, I didn't just want to go to some random dinner on an odd trip to New York. Instead, I figured that I'd wait for a chef who I happen to be friends with to get the invite, and then I'd plan a trip to New York around that dinner.

Cody Carroll, Owen Hohl, Brad Andries and Jay Ducote with Louisiana Redfish at the James Beard House

So as fortune would have it, this summer while in the middle of my Food Network Star run, I got the news that Chefs Cody and Sam Carroll from Hot Tails in New Roads and the newly opened Sac-a-lait in New Orleans had been invited to cook at the James Beard House in October. I knew I didn't want to miss this dinner put on by Louisiana Culinary Institute graduates and the former King and Queen of Louisiana Seafood. I booked a trip for Team Bite and Booze to head to the Big Apple.

Brad Andries and Cody Carroll prep for their dinner at the James Beard House

The night before the dinner at the James Beard House, Cody told me that if I wanted to come help them prep, they could use a couple extra hands. An opportunity to actually cook in the James Beard House?! I couldn't pass that up. We showed up around noon the next day. I threw on an apron and got to work. I could feel the history. The legacies of chefs like Julia Child and Jaques Pepin filled the kitchen. In many ways, slowing down to savor the experience, I realized how truly awesome it was.

Jay portions out grits for one of the dishes at the James Beard House

From noon to around six I helped chop, slice, and portion different components of the 6+ course meal. The kitchen at the James Beard House is notoriously tiny. There are ample small corridors to squeeze through and low hanging obstacles on which to bump my head. As a rather large dude, it certainly proved to be as cozy as advertised. There is an atrium and a back yard to get a little extra head room and fresh air, though. 

The Damn Thistle made with Oryza Vodka

The dinner got started with cocktails and passed hors d'oeuvres. The Damn Thistle (pictured above) and barrel-aged sazerac were both big hits with the fun-loving crowd. The Damn Thistle starts with Louisiana's Oryza Vodka and finishes with elderflower, pineapple, lime, and hibiscus. We also feasted on deviled crab, pig's ear, and duck tongue appetizers as we mingled with other folks attending the dinner. Before long, with our stomachs ready for the task at hand, we sat down for the formal six course supper with wine pairings.

Turtle Boudin Noir, Louisiana Pear, Fingerling "Brabonts", Sugarcane-Cured Chappapeela Pork Jowl, Pickled Mirleton

Sweet Fried Alligator, White Remoulade, Hand-Mashed Mirleton

P&J Oysters, Louisiana Wild Mushrooms, Duck Egg Carbonara, Mustard Green Vermicelli

Lost Fish: Perdu-Style Gulf Fish, Whipped Creole Potato Salad, Sweet Corn Calas, Crawfish Etoufee 

Lightly Fried Thin-Cut Venison, Cast Iron Seared Venison Sweetbreads, Hand-Rolled Gnocchi,
Truffle and Acadiana Honey, Creole Andalouse, Cane-Soaked Red Onion

Aged Banana Pudding, Pointe Coupee Pecan Butter, 'Nilla Wafer Crumble, Whip Cream

The meal could not have gone much better. Each dish came out seemingly exactly as the chefs intended. The flavors were true to Louisiana while being elevated and sophisticated for a refined palate. Turtle, alligator, oysters, duck, gulf fish, crawfish, venison and more rolled through the kitchen of the James Beard House and onto the taste buds of inspired diners. Congratulations to the chefs for pulling off a successful dinner experience. "Bayou in the Big Apple" certainly left its mark!

Piper, Liz, Jay, Cody, Sam, Blair and Sydney pose after the dinner at the James Beard House

Sac-A-Yay: Chefs Cody and Sam Carroll open a new restaurant in New Orleans

by Blair Loup, Chief Confusion Coordinator

Chefs Cody and Sam Carroll, both graduates of the Louisiana Culinary Institute, opened a new restaurant in the New Orleans Warehouse District last week and Team Bite and Booze could not be more anxious to get through the doors. Sac-A-Lait boasts a menu full of elevated Prairie and Swamp Cajun dishes.

I first met the Louisiana Culinary Institute graduates while tagging along on shoots for the Louisiana Culinary Trails. We filmed at the duo's first restaurant, Hot Tails, in New Roads.




I hope Jay and I can make it to New Orleans soon to dine at their new venture. Once we do, we'll make sure to get you a full review. But to tide me over, I had Sam send over a few pictures of her favorite dishes. You can check out the full menu for Sac-A-Lait by clicking here.

Drunk Pheasant: Whole Bird with Rosemary with thin Canebrake Gravy

Low Tide Tower: Hot and Cold Louisiana Seafood

Lost Trout: Perdu-Style Speckled Trout, Sweet Corn Calas, and Crawfish Étouffée

Aged Banana Pudding in a Jar: Peanut Butter Mousse and Vanilla Wafer Crumble