National Rum Day Now Means Something in Louisiana

August 16th may not mean much to you, but somebody somewhere made today National Rum Day.  A few years ago, this really wouldn't have mattered much to me.  Sure, I enjoy a nice rum-based cocktail every now and then, but I certainly don't consume rum on the same level that I enjoy whiskey, whisky, and beer.  Or even wine, for that matter.  Despite Louisiana producing an astonishing amount of sugar cane, we left it to the Caribbean nations (and the territory of Puerto Rico) to distill spirits from the crop.  The trade of rum played a large role in American independence.  While our texts books in history classes focused on taxation of tea and "parties" where Americans threw British tea into the ocean, we now know as adults that tea taxes would not cause the same revolutions that booze taxes would.  Rum has been recognized as official currency in some places throughout history, and is responsible for much of the triangular trade that brought slaves from Africa to plantations in Louisiana, sent molasses to the Caribbean, and rum to the colonies.  If England wouldn't have tried to pass the Sugar Act in 1764, there may not have ever been a revolution.

So now, nearly 250 years after the Sugar Act, Louisiana finds itself at the dawn of a new day when it comes to rum.  All of that sugar cane which is still grown here is finally also being distilled here.  Actually, to be fair, artist James Michalopolous started the Celebration Distillation Corporation in New Orleans in 1995.  The products under the Old New Orleans brand have been gaining a lot of traction lately, and that rum is available all over Southern Louisiana right now.



At least a couple new distilleries have obtained Federal licensing and are coming our way.  Louisiana Spirits in Lacassine is under construction with their new 18,000 square foot facility right off of I-10.  The stills will be put in place by September and we should have rum being produced by a distillery that is farther West in our state than any currently operational brewery by the end of the year.  “Our vision for a world class rum distillery in Louisiana is a natural fit for the Lacassine area.  Our Louisiana rum will represent the best the state has to offer in the way of local sugar cane, molasses and raw sugar. We’re committed to delivering products that honor Cajun heritage and are worthy of the ‘Made in Louisiana’ label,” said Trey Litel, President of Louisiana Spirits LLC in a press release earlier this year.

Meanwhile in Thibodaux, Donner-Peltier’s plans include the production of a premium vodka distilled from Louisiana long grain rice and various types of rum distilled from sugarcane farmed in Lafourche Parish. President Beth Donner said “We are looking forward to getting started and are excited about having local people from this area working with us to distill, market, and sell premium spirits made from Louisiana grown products. We have received so much help from our local and state officials throughout this process and are thankful for their assistance and support. Now we want to give back to the state of Louisiana and hope that our venture will encourage others to invest in our state and it's people”.    


National Rum Day means a whole lot more to Louisiana these days.  The potential for economic development through rum and other artisinal spirits is significant, and I'm excited to see what the future holds for rum in Louisiana.  These first few distilleries will be paving the way for future micro-distillers, and will be the first to take advantage of the new law that passed from SB 64 in May allowing distilleries the same privileges as wineries to sell directly to the public.  Each individual will be permitted to purchase up to a case (12 bottles) per month from the distillery.  Of course, any bars or other retails outlets will have to acquire spirits through a distributor, but that's not a bad thing.  So happy National Rum Day!  Enjoy your Louisiana-grown and Louisiana-made beverages responsibly!

Seared Sea Scallops with Maple Bacon Relish

When the Virtual Potluck crew got to choose from a selection of Coombs Family Farms maple products to cook with, I had no trouble going after the organic maple sugar. I've cooked with very nice maple syrups a number of times, but I had never played around with maple sugar before. So the next question was: what to cook?! Maybe one of these days I'll get adventurous (for me) and start baking with products like this. Not this time though. My mind rushed to one thing: maple bacon! And what to put the maple bacon on top of? How about some seared sea scallops? Yes, please.

Sear Sea Scallops with Maple Bacon Relish

9 Ingredients in the Recipe... Simple and Delicious!

I gathered my ingredients to cook what in my mind was sure to be a delightfully sweet and spicy relish to put on top of the scallops. I started by chopping up about half a pound of hickory smoked bacon into small morsels and then throwing them in a skillet over medium high heat. I wanted the bacon to brown and for the fat to render, because bacon fat is what I would use to cook everything else. After that had been accomplished I removed the bacon from the skillet and placed it in a bowl to reserve it. I transferred about half the bacon fat to another skillet that I would use for my scallops and turned that heat up to medium high. In the original skillet that had the bacon and still half the bacon fat, I threw in half of a yellow onion, diced fairly finely, one jalapeno, seeded and diced finely, and about five cloves of garlic, minced.

Maple Bacon Relish at the Deglazing Stage

After the onion, jalapeno, and garlic had all cooked to the point of being soft, I added the bacon back in. Next, I deglazed the skillet with about half a cup of balsamic vinegar to free all of the buildup on the bottom of the skillet and get all the flavors to meld. I added a little freshly ground sea salt and black pepper and let the balsamic reduce a little more. When the contents of the skillet began to dry up and the flavors really looked like they had come together, I added another quarter cup or so of balsamic and about 2 tablespoons of Coombs Maple Sugar. After stirring it all in, I reduced the heat to a simmer and turned my attention to the scallops.

Scallops Searing in Bacon Fat

In the other skillet I already had the other half of the bacon fat pretty hot. I sprinkled each side of the U10 scallops with sea salt and black pepper, then bumped the heat on the burner up to high. When the bacon fat began to pop, I added the scallops the grease and rejoiced at the sound of the sizzle. Scallops searing in bacon fat: there isn't much sweeter of a sound! After a few minutes on one side I used a set of tongs to test their readiness to flip. If it is ready, it should easily let go of the pan. You might think that if the scallop sticks the pan that you might be burning it, but it actually means you should allow it to cook a little longer. When the scallop is flipped over you want to see some golden brown Maillard reaction effects (like caramelization). If your skillet isn't hot enough or you don't cook the scallop long enough, this sear may not develop. After searing like this on both sides, the scallop should be ready to go. You certainly don't want to overcook your scallop and dry it out, so don't be afraid to pull it off. A couple minutes on each side ought to do it!

A Second Plating of the Seared Sea Scallops with Maple Bacon Relish

To plate the scallops I simply arranged three of them on a dish in triangular fashion and then spooned a generous portion of maple bacon relish on top of each one. With some fresh parsley out of my Harb's Oasis herb garden, I'd say the dish was a tremendous success. The balsamic, bacon, and maple worked incredibly well together. I didn't get quite as much heat from the jalapeno as I wanted though. Still, it certainly worked as an interesting flavoring component. The scallops themselves were wonderful and paired deliciously with all the flavors in the relish!

Beignets Heat Up In Baton Rouge

This article has been published in the September 2010 issue of Town Favorites Magazine. You can visit the Town Favorites website at http://www.townfavorites.com/, follow them on Twitter @TownFavorites, and find their magazines at over 150 restaurants and businesses around Baton Rouge! Pick up a copy today!

Beignets Heat Up in Baton Rouge

by Jay D. Ducote

Beignets epitomize creating gastronomic glory while respecting simplicity. The decadent deep-fried dough is the state donut of Louisiana. Yes, we have a state donut! World renowned for their influence in the New Orleans’ French Quarter at Café du Monde, beignets are undoubtedly just as deeply entrenched in Louisiana cuisine as gumbo and red gravy. A beignet, in case you don’t know, is a fluffy pastry made of fried dough and typically sprinkled with confectioners (powdered) sugar.

Beignet fingers and cafe au lait with hot chocolate at Coffee Call

Beignets have been served for decades at Baton Rouge’s own institution, Coffee Call. The College Drive hot spot built its own character, charm, and clientele in a location that gave way to the expanses of Super Wal-Mart earlier this decade. Part of the construction and redesign of the entire shopping center involved a brand new location for Coffee Call on the other side of the parking lot. Unfortunately for most of Coffee Call’s loyal patrons including the graduate students, artists, and authors of the Capital City, the new edifice failed to transfer the culture that had been established a mere couple hundred yards away. Says Baton Rouge author D.B. Grady, “Five stars for the memories. Two stars for its current, soulless, reanimated corpse.”

Despite the unfortunate relocation, Coffee Call’s business still seems to be going strong on the back of hot chocolate, café au lait, and, of course, beignets. The restaurant has a small outdoor dining area with some bistro tables and several options for indoor seating with large wooden tables, a high top with bar stools, and more bistro set ups. A quick jaunt through their ordering line gives access to the self service beverage staples of hot chocolate and café au lait (coffee with hot milk added, a signature blend to go along with the French-influenced beignets). Prior to my Coffee Call visit I received a tip from a good friend, Jeremy Spikes, to try mixing the two together. He claimed that the hot chocolate typically poured too sweet for his palate and that the café au lait needed a little sweetener, so combining the two created a spot-on final product. I gave it a try to judge for myself. As I figured, Jeremy did not steer me wrong. The warm beverage sipped creamy and smooth with an enticing combination of coffee and chocolate.

Hot chocolate and cafe au lait are ready to be poured

As for the beignets, Coffee Call has long been the only place to go in Baton Rouge. Their beignets come in the traditional pillow shape or in the form of beignet fingers. For a fairly reasonable price Coffee Call will pile up plenty of whichever kind you order on a plate and coat with a thick layer of white powdered sugar. The portions on their fingers are rather enormous, so unless it is the only meal you’ll eat that day, one person should never order a large by themselves. Like any fried food, beignets are best served immediately after departing their submersion in the hot oil. Unfortunately my small order of fingers had spent several minutes under a heat lamp. Still, that didn’t stop me from enjoying the sugar-coated dough sticks with my hot chocolate and café au lait concoction!

Carolyn, Jay, and Evan pose at Rue Beignet

I left Coffee Call wanting more. It has long been the place in Baton Rouge for beignets, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for a little competition. On April 24 of this year Rue Beignet opened its doors on East Petroleum Drive across Highland Road from Ruffino’s and next door to Maxwell’s Market. I met owner Evan Duhy and her mother Carolyn at Rue Beignet for a sample of the latest beignets to heat up Baton Rouge. Evan got the idea to open a beignet shop in the Red Stick after dining with her mom at Café du Monde in New Orleans. It was there, sitting at that iconic café, overlooking Decatur, that Evan received a moment of total consciousness… so she’s got that going for her, which is nice. She had dined at Café du Monde plenty of times while living in New Orleans, but it had never hit home like it did this time. “I thought I was just finding instant gratification by indulging in the delicious warm pillows of dough covered in powdered sugar,” Evan told me. “Little did I know beignets would shape my entire life and future.”

Evan prepares the beignets for the fryer

Evan has tried to recreate the feel of New Orleans in her strip-mall beignet store. Rue Beignet is inviting and welcoming. Eric and I were immediately greeted when we walked in the door; something that can’t be overlooked in these days of impersonal rushes through life’s chaos. I had a mug of café au lait while my beignets were cut and fried fresh to order. Like most beignets, Rue Beignet uses a large vat of cottonseed oil to fry their dough to a crispy outside with a delicately chewy interior. I began with the classic powdered sugar beignets. One bite and I might have fallen in love. This beignet, straight out of the fryer to a plate and then to my mouth, may have been one of the best donuts, let alone beignets, I’ve ever enjoyed. The beignet itself contained the ideal combination of doughy texture inside a salty and crispy shell and sweet confectioner’s sugar… pure deliciousness.

Fresh beignets entice me at Rue Beignet

Jay Ducote takes a bite of beignet heaven

For ‘un petit lagniappe’ (a little something extra), Rue Beignet offered up some of their own beignet fingers with a twist. While they gladly offer the fingers with the traditional powdered sugar, Evan thought taking the New Orleans staple and “kicking it up a notch” with different toppings might present something unique to her customers. As I munched on classic beignets three other plates were set in front of me. The plates held beignet fingers topped with honey, cinnamon sugar, and chocolate, respectively. At first I had some mixed emotions about the idea. Confectioner’s sugar nearly defines a beignet, and I couldn’t believe they were changing it up. However, after one bite of the honey beignet, I quickly changed my mind. That beignet simply tasted too good for me to disapprove. The honey finger’s flavor reminded me of an amazing version of a sopapilla while the cinnamon finger brought up equally fond thoughts of Latin inspired desserts. With that solitary taste Evan sold me on the toppings, and on Rue Beignet as a whole. I’ll continue to be a customer, that’s for sure!

Rue Beignet's twist: beignet fingers with cinnamon sugar

Coffee Call and Rue Beignet show that Baton Rouge has some great options for beignets. Next time you’re looking to change things up for breakfast, grab an afternoon snack, or finish a great meal with a little fried dough dessert, check them out. Your taste buds will be glad you did!


Jay D. Ducote is the author of the blog Bite and Booze, which chronicles his culinary and indulgent cultural experiences around Baton Rouge, South Louisiana, and the world. It can be found at www.biteandbooze.com. You can also reach him by email at jay@biteandbooze.com and follow him on Twitter @biteandbooze.

Thanks to Eric Ducote of BRBeerScene.com for taking all the pictures for this article.

Things To Do
Baton Rouge

The Netherlands - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

The Netherlands

Ah, The Netherlands.  Holland.  The Dutch.  The side in orange.  They defeated Brazil 2-1 today in the quarterfinals of the World Cup, and while their magical run in international play continues, their turn on the Bite and Booze World Tour is now. Dutch cuisine is shaped by the practice of fishing and farming, including the cultivation of the soil for raising crops and the raising of domesticated animals, and the history of the Netherlands. The Netherlands is renowned for its varieties of cheese and it is where Dutch process chocolate originated. Dutch cuisine is somewhat limited in its diversity of dishes (like many Northern European cuisines) and includes a high consumption of vegetables compared to the consumption of meat.

Since it is early in the morning in America as The Netherlands and Brazil square off on the pitch, we'll take a look at some Dutch pancakes. A pannekoek (plural pannekoeken) or pannenkoek (new Dutch spelling) is a Dutch pancake. Pannekoeken are usually larger and thinner than American or Scottish pancakes. They may incorporate slices of smoked bacon, apples or other fruits, stem ginger, cheese, or raisins. Plain ones are often eaten with white or brown sugar. The ingredients are flour, milk, and eggs. Beer may also be added to the mixture in order to give it a better flavor, but most of all it helps the batter rise. In Dutch pancake restaurants (pannenkoekenhuis) many more toppings can be ordered with them, including eggs, pear, or even pineapple, and they are often topped with Dutch stroop (sugar beet syrup), a dark, thick syrup common in the Netherlands. The closest taste equivalent to this syrup in the U.S. is sorghum syrup. In the Netherlands, a pannenkoek naturel in a pannenkoekenhuis is a plain pancake which one can top with as much powdered sugar or stroop as one desires from the condiments standing on the table.

Oranjebitter is a drink developed in the 17th century in order to celebrate festivities of the Dutch monarchy. It's distilled with several types of oranges. In the 17th century it used to be sweet (liquor), in the 18th and 20th century it was made without any sugar. Nowadays people tend to prefer sweet so 10% sugar is added.  Oranjebitter is made from distilled Curacao peel, bitter orange, and brandy.

To see what Eric has to say about Dutch beer, and how he avoids the two most famous beer producers which are Heineken in the west and Grolsch in the east, go to the BR Beer Scene.

Thanks and Credits:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_cuisine
http://www.dutchbakery.nl/nl_pannenkoeken.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannekoek
http://www.thedrinkshop.com/products/nlpdetail.php?prodid=3722
http://www.delta.tudelft.nl/nl/archief/artikel/altijd-zo-geweescht-oranjebitter/19461

Algeria - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Algeria

Algeria is yet another African team in this year's World Cup. The Muslim nation on north coast of Africa borders many countries, the Mediterranean Sea, and contains a significant portion of the Sahara Desert. By land mass, Algeria is the 11th largest country in the world, and they have a population of 35.7 million. Today they square off against the U. S. of A. in a match where the winner has a chance of advancing and loser is guaranteed to go home. This is what the World Cup is all about. Pull those belts tight boys, it's time to rumble! Today Bite and Booze eats the Algerians!

Couscous, the national dish, is often mistaken as a grain itself, rather than pasta. The pasta dough is a mixture of water and coarse, grainy semolina wheat particles. The dough is then crumbled through a sieve to create tiny pellets. Algerians prefer lamb, chicken, or fish to be placed on a bed of warm couscous, along with cooked vegetables such as carrots, chickpeas, and tomatoes, and spicy stews. In Algeria it is also served, sometimes at the end of a meal or just by itself, as a delicacy called "seffa". The couscous is usually steamed several times until it is very fluffy and pale in color. It is then sprinkled with almonds, cinnamon and sugar. Traditionally, this dessert will be served with milk perfumed with orange flower water, or it can be served plain with buttermilk in a bowl as a cold light soup for supper.

Mechoui , a roasted whole lamb cooked on an outdoor spit, is usually prepared when a large group of people gathers together. The animal is seasoned with herb butter so the skin is crispy and the meat inside is tender and juicy. Bread and various dried fruits and vegetables, including dates (whose trees can thrive in the country's Sahara desert), often accompany mechoui. There really is nothing quite like eating whole spit-roasted animals. I wish it more customary in the United States than it is. Maybe I can start a trend!

Being a rather strict Muslim nation, Algeria is not home to an abundant drinking culture. Still, there is no mistaking the Algerian impact on wine. While not a significant force on the world's wine market today, Algeria has played an important role in the history of wine. Algeria's viticulturalhistory dates back to its settlement by the Phoenicians and continued under Algeria's rule by
the Roman empire. Just prior to the Algerian War of Independence, Algerian wine (along with the production of Morocco and Tunisia) accounted for nearly two-thirds of the total international wine trade. With as much land under vine as the countries of Germany and South Africa, Algeria continues to maintain a wine industry with over 70 wineries in operation. During the peak of Algerian wine production, the main grapes of the region was Carignan, Cinsaut and Alicante Bouschet. Despite not having Pinot noir or otherwise resembling Burgundian wine, blends of these grapes were often labeled as burgundy. In recent times, Clairette and Ugni blanc have become the dominate grape varieties with some smaller plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Mouvedre and Syrah. Algerian wines are characterized by their overripe fruit, high alcohol and lowacidity. The grapes often go through a short fermentation process and are bottled after little to no oak aging.

For info about Algerian Beer, visit the BR Beer Scene.

Thanks and Credits:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2310576464_48a269fd2e.jpg
http://www.foodbycountry.com/Algeria-to-France/Algeria.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couscous
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algerian_wine
http://www.algeria-us.org/econcom/SAMPLES%20OF%20FAMOUS%20ALGERIAN%20WINESFRONTPAGE.htm

Paraguay - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Paraguay

Bite and Booze's first visit to South America for the 2010 World Cup comes from the country of Paraguay. While I have personally never been to Paraguay, or anywhere in South America for that matter, it is a place that fascinates me with a unique culture and rich traditions. I'll get there one day, and when I do you can bet that I'll do plenty biting and boozing! Paraguay is a land-locked country in the heart of South America with a population around 6.3 million people. Today we'll take a look at two Paraguayan staples: sopa paraguaya and caña.

Sopa paraguaya literally translates to Paraguayan Soup, though the dish really is not a soup at all. The national dish of Paraguay, sopa paraguaya is actually very similar to cornbread though typically much more moist and sticky. The savory cornbread is made with corn flour, pig fat, cheese, onions, eggs, and milk or whey. Legend has it that the dish was created by accident when too much corn flour was added to a soup. The chef, cooking for the president of Paraguay, threw the mixture into an adobe oven and baked it then served it as a "solid soup." Amazed at what he tasted, President Don Carlos dubbed the dish "sopa paraguaya," and the name has lived on.

Paraguay isn't known extremely well for any particular beverage, but something that they produce very well is caña. Caña, as the name implies, is made from sugar cane and is very similar to traditional Caribbean sugar cane rum. It is often used to make fruity cocktails, but can also be consumed straight or on the rocks.  The fermented drink can also use honey in addition to molasses.

For a little more about Paraguayan Beer, Check out the BR Beer Scene!

Credits and Thanks:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24286256@N04/2389815493/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/birdseyeview/2324305359/
http://www.capasa.com.py/productos.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dairocorrea/2664302227/

Christina's in Beauregard Town

Hidden in downtown Baton Rouge at the corner of St. Charles and Somerulos, Christina's has been offering up quality home cooking for years.  This little restaurant is not as well known as it should be around town, but its loyal customers still keep the place packed for breakfast and lunch.  I recently ate lunch at Christina's for my first time and was certainly not disappointed.  Darrell Broussard joined me on the walk from our busy offices to the Beauregard Town neighborhood.  The quaint restaurant is warm and welcoming, and the lunch menu is full of Southern-fried home cooking. 

Christina's in Downtown Baton Rouge

Christina's had a lunch special on this fortunate day that featured a chicken fried steak with gravy and three sides.  Their list of sides rotates so it is written on the wall instead of in the menu.  However, it is long enough to count as reading a book, so picking three seemed like a difficult task.  I wanted to vary things up a bit, so I eventually settled on the buttered corn, collard greens, and praline yams.

Chicken Fried Steak with Buttered Corn, Collard Greens, and Praline Yams

The corn had a good buttery taste as the name implied but beyond that was just your average canned corn.  The collard greens tasted pretty good and I enjoyed their saltiness and tender texture.  However, the highlight of the sides, and in fact the entire meal, came in the form of the praline yams.  They may not have been much more than canned sweet potatoes with plenty of butter and caramelized sugar, but this dish was purely delightful!  I could have eaten those praline yams all day!  The chicken fried steak had a great flavor and combined well with the white gravy, but it was a little smaller than I would have liked.  Still, the praline yams made up for everything and in the end, I had no complaints with the meal or the restaurant.  I'd gladly go back to Christina's any time, and I especially want to check it out for breakfast!

Dining at DeAngelo's with Fantastic Friends

Another day, another lunch!  This time I met Hannah, Robert, Kevin, and Shawn at Louis DeAngelo's Casual Italian Dining on Jefferson Highway.  DeAngelo's is a Baton Rouge original with multiple locations around town.  They offer a pretty traditional Italian menu with various pastas and pizzas.

DeAngelo's on Jefferson

We met for lunch as a follow up from the previous dinner at the Romero's house and the lunch at the Roux House.  It was certainly great to see Robert again before he heads off to New Zealand, and it is always a pleasure to hang out with Hannah Lane, artist extraordinaire.  Kevin and Shawn were still in from Chicago, so we had quite a fantastic group.  I ordered the Nona's Lasagna because I had been craving some of the layered Italian dish and wanted to compare DeAngelo's variety to others around town. 

Nona's Lasagna at DeAngelo's

The lasagna was layered with plenty of cheeses from mozzarella to ricotta in addition to the meaty Bolognese sauce and the marinara.  The overall flavor was a mixture of sweet tomatoes and lots of basil.  It was good lasagna, but certainly not my favorite.  I felt like it lacked something in the texture and thought that it almost needed to be eaten with a spoon rather than a fork.  While it was good, I certainly did not think it was spectacular.  I was also able to sample a couple shrimp from Hannah's salad.  They were delightful little grilled crustaceans but the quantity did not meet the price in my opinion and they were rather small for a typical grilled shrimp in Louisiana. 

Banquet Room with Paintings by Hannah Lane

One of my favorite parts about DeAngelo's was the fact that the decorations around the restaurant largely consisted of paintings by Hannah.  Walking around the banquet room felt like taking a tour of Italy as Hannah's collection of paintings from her trip to the European boot were hung around the dining space.  Her artistic style is refreshing, colorful, and just the right amount of abstract to know that it requires a great amount of creativity and imagination.  I left DeAngelo's very happy after getting my fill of lasagna and an art show!

Cheesecakes and Assorted Sweets from L'auberge Du Lac in Lake Charles

My day of delivering delightful dishes to my neverending belly was not over after DeAngelo's.  When I got back to the office I found a box of cheesecakes on sticks and other assorted mini-cakes from the bakery at the L'auberge Du Lac casino in Lake Charles.  I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened the box lid to find such amazing treats staring back at me as if they wanted to be eaten.  Since cheesecake is one of my all-time favorite desserts, I picked out a good one and plunged it into my mouth.  Wow!  First, what a great idea!  Whoever thought of putting a cheesecake on a stick is brilliant!  Secondly, these were really good cheesecakes with a beautiful mixture of cream cheese and sugar.  I couldn't resist and had another.  And the next day, since nobody else in the office was eating anything, I had the carrot cake too.  It was pretty good, but not as amazing as the cheesecakes on a stick!

Tequila Night Tailgating Bites and Boozes, LSU vs Auburn

In honor of a great tradition,  I wanted to make sure to write a post on one of my favorite events in Baton Rouge: Ford Family Tailgating's Tequila Night!  For the LSU vs Auburn game FFT held their 11th annual Tequila Night at the front steps of the Electrical Engineering Building.  Before I get into the booze, I would like to give a special shout out to the some FFT desserts.

Mama Ford's Famous Ooey Gooey... One Corner Piece Left.  Dibs!

The most famous FFT dessert is Mama Ford's Ooey Gooey.  This pan of edible joy contains two layers of simple and extremely delightful sweet tooth fixers.  The bottom layer is pretty much yellow cake mix and butter while the top layer has cream cheese and powdered sugar.  I'd hate to give away all the secrets here, but you should know that Ooey Gooey is pretty amazing.  If you ever want a taste, come tailgate at FFT and I'm sure you can get some... but come early if you want a corner piece with a crispy crust around the gooey middle!

Almond Joy Brownies and Triple Chocolate Brownies

In addition to the Ooey Gooey, FFT also provided two trays of scrumptious brownies for the party.  The top brownie pan is an Almond Joy creation complete with chocolate, coconut, and almonds.  On the near side we had brownies with extra chocolate and then even more rich, creamy chocolate on top.  Both were dynamite!

An Ice-Cold Steveweiser

I know it was tequila night, but thirst must be quenched in between shots of distilled agave.  Answer: good old genuine, American (Belgian owned) hops, barley, yeast, and pure spring (tap) water all brewed together in perfect harmony, with tons of rice for filler, oops, I mean "flavor", of course.  Delicious, crisp, clear, refreshing Budweiser... still the King of Beers after all these years.

Assortment of Empty Tequila Bottles Towards the End of the Day

Tequila Night always brings out a fantastic selection of tequila.  Of course, some joker always brings a handle of Cuervo, but its ok because we can distribute it to the minions.  Jeremy Ford always brings the top shelf tequila that I just have to sample.  The shots begin at 10:00 a.m. and continue every half hour until almost game time (which in Baton Rouge is usually around 7 p.m., not noon like the silly people in other parts of the country).  Eric set a new record by consuming 21 tequila shots throughout the day while drinking beer in between and, surprisingly to most, was still standing at the end of the day.   Overall the day was a tremendous success.  Collin Ford gave me a ticket to the game, LSU beat the crap out of Auburn, I got a corner piece of the Ooey Gooey, and the tequila never stopped flowing.  I can't wait until next year's Tequila Night Twelve, the Doce!