Best of Bite and Booze: 10 Posts You've Viewed the Most

by Sydney Blanchard

Every now and then, in my role as Content Sheriff/Warden of the Web at Bite and Booze, I take a look at our blog stats to see what's working and what could use some tweaking. And the more I look, the more I learn about our audience.

Most of you are viewing our blog from the United States, followed closely by Portugal and then Norway. The majority of you (41 percent) are using Chrome to browse our site. And a large portion of you wind up reading our blog by clicking a link you saw on Facebook.

I'm also able to determine which of our posts are getting the most clicks to see what kind of content you, our audience, like to see on the blog.

From what I gather, y'all love boudin balls, fried food, yummy looking desserts, and women (in booze).

Below, you'll find a list of our top 10 blogs posts of the last year, as told by each post's page views.

Let us know what you'd like to see more or (or less of) in the comments!

1. Lucky Palace: You Either Get It or You Don't 3,128 views

Duck at Lucky Palace in Bossier City

"Here's the thing. Lucky Palace is situated in a seedy part of town within an interstate-side hotel. The parking lot looks like the kind of place where people meet up to buy or sell prescription pain medication. It's poorly lit, and getting to the restaurant requires entering through the yellowing, smoke-smelling hotel lobby. Entering Lucky Palace is akin to entering another dimension. Lucky palace exists in another place and time."

2. All Your Favorite Balls 2,612 views

Baton Rouge's best boudin balls

"We rounded up seven of our favorite balls from across the city, and left the deciding up to one man. Mr. Loup (progenitor of Blair Loup, Bite and Booze's Chief Confusion Coordinator) is a mustachioed, Opelous-born, Sulphur-raised Southern gentleman. Having grown up in "Boudin Country" and being accustomed to eating the best boudin the world has to offer, we felt Mr. Loup would be the perfect person to rank Baton Rouge ball scene. As an extra qualifier, he had never once eaten a Baton Rouge boudin ball before, so his opinion ethically lacked any preconceived notions."

3. Hymel's Classic Cajun Fare 2,407 views

Hymel's sign in Convent, Louisiana

"Recently, Team Bite and Booze had the opportunity to eat at the famous Hymel's in Convent, La., where beverages are served in gigantic fishbowls and seafood is served fried and in heaping quantities. Just about everything we ordered was fried."

4. Treat Yoself: A Sugary Sweet Dessert Roundup 2,160 views

Sour Patch Kid sorbet at Fisher's in Gulf Shores, Alabama

"Much to the horror of my dentist, I love to eat sweets. Gummy, stick-to-your-teeth candies rank the highest for me, followed closely by pastries, cookies, chocolate, and anything else that triggers tooth decay."

5. Fresh Takes on King Cake 2,103 views

Traditional King Cake from Calandro's

"The only time it's acceptable to accidentally bite into a baby, be it plastic or not, is when your slice of King Cake is the hiding space for the small trinket traditionally placed inside the cake."

6. Jay's First Thoughts on Crispy Catch 1,707 views

Surf and turf at Crispy Catch

"First things first: I enjoyed the food. No, it didn't stand out as revolutionary, inventive, or inspired. Then again, I don't believe anybody ever said that it would be."

7. Iverstine Family Farms, Uprooted 1,650 views

A curious pig at Iverstine Family Farms in Kentwood

"There’s a larger call to keeping your local economy booming by supporting people who are circulating their dollars into the local economy," Iverstine said. "Just like our animals work together on the pasture, there is defintiely this produce-consumer symbiotic relationship that has to happen."

8. Pam Sandoz: Professor of Pours 1,534 views

Pam Sandoz, owner of Slinky's

"Many things have changed around LSU’s campus over the years, but some things remain sacred. Slinky’s has held its residence on Chimes Street for 17 years. Home to the Lunch Box drop shot and underwear-ridden rafters, bar owner Pam Sandoz says each item on the walls has a story to tell, and she has more than a few."

9. Mary Lewis: Superintendent of Suds 1,490 views

Mary Lewis, Sales Manager at Mockler Beverage

"If there’s one thing Mary knows, it’s the beer business. Much of what we see as consumers is the boom of craft beers, which is a tiny speck in the universe of beverage distribution."

10. Goin' Up on a Tuesday: Best Tuesday Eats in BR 1,489 views

Fried chicken and greens at Chicken Shack

"If you're like me, weekends can be as busy and stress-inducing as any weekday. Washing and folding laundry, grocery shopping for the week and running errands sometimes leaves me and my squad no time to party on the weekend. The only solution, then, is to go up on a Tuesday."

Pam Sandoz: Professor of Pours

by Blair Loup

Many things have changed around LSU’s campus over the years, but some things remain sacred. Slinky’s has held its residence on Chimes Street for 17 years. Home to the Lunch Box drop shot and underwear-ridden rafters, bar owner Pam Sandoz says each item on the walls has a story to tell, and she has more than a few.

Pam Sandoz, owner of Slinky's

Pam grew up in a Cajun family full of attorneys in Abbeville, Louisiana. Following in her family’s footsteps, she pursued a law degree at LSU. Like so many college students do, Pam entered the service industry bartending at different establishments. Little did she know that cutting her teeth behind the bar would be the start of a long lasting love affair.

“Somewhere along the way, I realized I could take my favorite college job and turn it into my career and kind of avoid growing up,” Pam said.

Anyone who hangs out with Pam in her bar for an extended period of time will notice her grandmother’s huge influence on her. Her grandmother was a medical professional, and after a long day of work at the hospital, she’d host famous eight course dinner parties. With a reputation for constantly entertaining, it’s not hard to see where Pam’s love of people and conversation stems from.

It takes a special kind of person to weather the service industry. At 25, Pam realized she had officially found her calling and opened Slinky’s with her then boyfriend, and she’s been holding the keys since 1999.

On the surface, Slinky’s may look like another dive bar serving up simple mixed drinks and Michelob Ultras, but upon closer examination, you’ll notice two refrigerators full of craft beer and the bartender slinging creative whiskey cocktails.

I’ll admit, I was a little thrown off. I didn’t expect to see much beyond a couple of Louisiana craft brews. Shame on me! As it turns out, Pam studied abroad in Germany and gained a palate for beer hardly any Baton Rouge bars served in the early 2000s.

While Pam seems to have found her dream job, she explained that being so close to campus has its advantages and pitfalls. She describes the fluctuations in population to be a “feast or famine” situation, which I think most businesses in college towns experience. One of Slinky’s major advantages is Pam.

Pam is backbone that keeps people coming back to Slinky’s. Every customer’s interaction with her sounds like the conversations you have with your cool aunt if your cool aunt owned a bar.

You hear a lot of, “Hey Ms. Pam,” and “Yes Ms. Pam, thank you Ms. Pam.” She’s not to be messed with, but she has fun messing with her customers.

Slinky’s is a different kind of college bar. Most of their clientele consists of rugby players, LSU professors, and graduate students. Pam sees herself as a moderator for educated conversations about politics, religion, and science under a canopy of undergarments.

Pam said, “We don’t have draft beer or a dance floor, we have a community here.”

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling
Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops
Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes
Abigail Gullo: Leading Lady of Libation
Mary Lewis: Superintendent of Suds
Brea Frederick: Vixen of Vermouth
Vanessa Gomes: Crusader of Craft

Vanessa Gomes: Crusader of Craft

by Blair Loup

Vanessa Gomes posted up amongst mountains of beer at Champagne Beverage

The craft beer industry has increasingly captivated my interest over the past two years. I've learned more about brewing processes and styles of beer than I ever thought I'd care to know.

But what interests me the most is the elaborate, Game of Thrones-esque story of the growth and shifting of the Louisiana craft beer industry.

Obviously, it lacks much of the drama and violence of the critically acclaimed HBO series, but watching the movement and growth of new and established Louisiana breweries reminds me of the shifting and growing map in the show's title sequence. It can be hard to keep up.

It’s all very entrancing, much like talking to Vanessa Gomes. Vanessa, the Craft Brand Manager for Champagne Beverage, has been a titan of the local craft beer industry on the Northshore for the last seven years.

With a German mother and a Brazilian father, this first-generation American didn't have a typical South Louisiana upbringing. In fact, English is her second language (they spoke German in her household). Though the dual citizen of Brazil didn't try a poboy until she was in her teens, Vanessa claims her culturally diverse upbringing made her the well-rounded individual she is today.

In 2009 while working in the service industry, Vanessa met Nick Powers. He told her about his plan to open The Barley Oak, a craft beer bar in Mandeville, in hopes that she would come work for him.

“I thought he was absolutely crazy,” she said.

Six years ago, Abita and Covington were the only Louisiana breweries up and running, with Bayou Teche soon to follow. A craft beer concept in that area seemed doomed, and Vanessa hesitatingly agreed to work one shift per week at the newly opened bar The Barley Oak.

That one shift turned to full-time, then to salary, and soon enough she was practically running the joint.

According to Vanessa, soon after she started at The Barley Oak, the craft beer industry finally took root in Louisiana.

"It was a fun time to be running a craft beer bar and keeping the tap selection interesting, cool, and unique," Vanessa said.

After four years at The Barley Oak, Vanessa’s wealth of knowledge had grown, and others took notice.

Around that time, Champagne Beverage, a distribution company, had acquired Glazer's craft portfolio and was on the cusp of launching New Belgium. They hired Vanessa on as their crafts brands manager, putting her immense beer knowledge to use.

Handling Champagne's craft brands requires Vanessa to know everything about the beers and suppliers in her charge, to be able to communicate that to the sales staff, and to place the beers appropriately so they sell.

At first, Vanessa admitted, she was overwhelmed.

"I had no idea what I was doing or how I was going to do it," she said.

But she's managed to pull it off. In her last three years at Champagne Beverage, she's taken their craft beer sales from zero to 1.8 percent.

Vanessa is also in charge of brand development, order placement, inventory balance, and coordination of special events like beer launches, dinners, and festivals.

She may be the crusader of craft for the Northshore, but she didn’t get where she is without tribulation. Vanessa said being a woman in this role has been her greatest challenge.

“You have to be that much more knowledgable,” she said, “if you’re not an expert, it’s not enough.”

In her experience, no one will give you respect, you have to command it. It’s one thing to face the every day challenges of being a woman, and being a woman in the beer industry comes with an entirely different set of challenges.

In a matter of days, Vanessa will be utilizing her many talents in her new role as Lead Brewery Rep with Bell's Brewing out of Kalamazoo, Mich. Soon, Bell's will be distributed in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi markets with Vanessa leading the charge.

While she's excited to start her new job, she's grateful for her years with Champagne.

"The Champagnes have given me full support on everything I need to do my job and enhance my education," she said. "They've truly gone above and beyond."

I’m extremely excited to continue to watch Vanessa’s career unfold over the brim of my glass.

Needless to say, it will be exciting to continue to watch Vanessa's meteoric rise over the rim of my glass. Cheers to you Vanessa on your last day at Champagne Beverage!



This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling
Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops
Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes
Abigail Gullo: Leading Lady of Libation
Mary Lewis: Superintendent of Suds
Brea Frederick: Vixen of Vermouth

Get Familiar With These Women in Booze

by Sydney Blanchard

Since November 2014, our Chief Confusion Coordinator/Spin Doctor (and contributing blogger) Blair Loup has interviewed the women running the local booze scene. Each month, we feature one of these women and their experiences on the blog.

We've learned from them that it can be exciting (and at times difficult) working in the booze industry, a primarily male-dominated environment.

We're all about ensuring these women's voices and stories are heard and that they get the props they deserve for being the movers and (cocktail) shakers behind our drinking habit.

Read all about these killer women below, and be sure to check back with us each month to read about a new woman (in booze)!

Natalie Parbhoo, Duchess of Distribution

International Wine & Spirits

"First getting into it, the woman I replaced was only the second female representative in the city, so people just didn't take me seriously. They wasted a lot of my time flirting with me and never bought anything. That's when I realized I needed to be super aggressive to sell." 

Lindsay Nations, Baronness of Beer

Co-Founder and Vice President of Great Raft Brewing 

"I can't grow a beard and be the typical face of the company in the brewing industry, but there are so many things that would fall apart if I left one day. You don't get to be the face of the company when you don't fit the stereotype sometimes."

Dori Murvin, Sorceress of Service

Manager and Wine Director at Beausoleil Restaurant

"I love working here. The food's good, the wine's good, it's just a good place. I don't have a poker face. I have to work somewhere I believe in."

Nora McGunnigle, Head Mistress of Hops

Craft beer writer/blogger

"I definitely feel like it took me a long, long time for people to take me seriously as a beer person."

Myrna Arroyo, Vino Valedictorian

Owner of Roux Wine Tours

“I really enjoy helping people discover wine, it’s as simple as that!”

Brandi Lauck, Warden of Whiskey

Co-owner of Lock and Key Whiskey Bar

"It’s always been Arthur’s dream to own a bar, but what’s really cool is that it’s become an outlet for the creativity and the passion that I have for women and their understanding of whiskey," she said. "This has been a great opportunity to ‘be on stage’ and bring my knowledge of whiskey to other females that are interested."

Cari Caramonta, Mother of Malts

Co-founder and Creative Director of Gnarly Barley Brewing

“Personally, I love building the business. I enjoy marketing and branding. I think it’s cool that we bring a different dynamic to the table."

Erin White, Priestess of Pairing

Sommelier at August

“If you make a list of all of the things I love, it all incorporates into wine. There’s an artistic sense of color, fragrance, food, cooking, and people; for me, it all kind of funneled into one category.”

Beth Donner, Dame of Distilling

Co-founder, Co-Owner, and President of Donner-Peltier Distillery

"It’s a male dominant industry, you know? It is what it is."

Halston McMullan, Hustler of Houston Hops

Louisiana Sales representative for St. Arnold Brewing

"The more I learn about this company and the more I have to fight for it, the more it becomes a part of me. I didn’t know I’d be so proud."

Libby Landry, Governess of Grapes

"We’d pack up the boys and live in the old barn showering with a water hose until each harvest was complete. That was our life for a while."

Abigail Gullo, Leading Lady of Libation

Bartender at Compère Lapin

"Women may be known as bartenders, but men are 'mixologists.' I feel like I’ve missed out on a few jobs because I don’t have a mustache.”

Mary Lewis, Superintendent of Suds

Sales Manager at Mockler Beverage Company

“My job now is to motivate my team. I don’t want my guys to think I’m just the lady that sits in the office."

Brea Frederick, Vixen of Vermouth

Bartender at Olive or Twist

“Being a woman in this industry is challenging, but being a lesbian in this industry makes things even more difficult."

Brea Frederick: Vixen of Vermouth

by Blair Loup

I bet you didn’t know your friendly neighborhood bartender is a licensed cosmetologist in three states, has tended bar in five states, and was a short-order cook at a Waffle House when she was 18 years old.

Brea Frederick of Olive or Twist in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Bartender Brea Frederick at Olive or Twist was born and raised in San Diego, California, and moved to Baton Rouge during four of the most formative years of her life.

Looking for a change in a few different places, Brea's travels carried her to Phoenix, the Twin Cities and New York. Most of the time she worked two jobs, and she always had one foot behind the bar or in the kitchen.

From constant unwanted advances to being corrected on classic drink recipes, Brea has some less than pleasant experiences as a bartender in New York, and some of those struggles are still very real for her in Baton Rouge.

“Being a woman in this industry is challenging, but being a lesbian in this industry makes things even more difficult,” Brea said.

She said there’s something about the sense of entitlement found primarily in the older white privileged males that reminds her of the disrespect many Middle Eastern men she encountered in New York have for women.

After living in Brooklyn and working in Manhattan for four years, Brea made her way down to New Orleans. Trying to wedge her way into the industry in the Crescent City, she landed a position at SoBou where she met fellow Woman in Booze Abigail Gullo before her move to Compère Lapin.

Shortly after working at SoBou, Brea found her life pulling her back to Baton Rouge.

“Baton Rouge has always been a big slice of home to me,” Brea said.

The friends she made here are like family, and now so are her coworkers.

As one of five bartenders (and the only female bartender) at Olive or Twist, she says her coworkers are incredible. There's a lot of mutual respect happening among the staff behind and outside of the bar.

Olive or Twist is Brea's first craft cocktail job, and she admits to being overwhelmed and intimidated at first by the enormous collection of booze at Olive or Twist. Who wouldn’t be? With a towering wall of alcohol, some of which can only be reached by a sliding Charlie and the Chocolate Factory-style ladder, Olive or Twist boasts an extensive and seasonal cocktail menu.

Brea’s favorite part of working in a craft cocktail bar is surprising her customers’ palates with flavors and ingredients they’ve never experienced. She likes to shoot from the hip with a little cocktail roulette when she’s behind the bar playing with vermouths and aperitifs.

You can snag one of her more recent concoctions, The Formidable Frisk, at the bar, or make it at home with this recipe:

1.5 oz. Old Overholt Rye
.5 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
.5 oz Lime Juice
.75 oz Vanilla Syrup
.5 oz Turbinado
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Muddled Rosemary
*serve in a rocks glass and garnish with a sprig of rosemary*

Brea says a good cocktail changes people, so if you’re in the mood for great conversation or life-changing sip, visit Brea Frederick at Olive or Twist.

Cheers to you lady!



This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling
Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops
Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes
Abigail Gullo: Leading Lady of Libation

Mary Lewis: Superintendent of Suds

Mary Lewis: Superintendent of Suds

by Blair Loup

Mary Lewis grew up in the small town of Gloster, Mississippi with a graduating class of sixteen people, but growing up in an LSU family, she had her sights set on planting roots in Baton Rouge.

Mary Lewis, Sales Manager at Mockler Beverage Company

With a grandfather that played tennis for LSU and an aunt that donned the Golden Girl leotard, Mary jumped at the opportunity to walk on to the women’s basketball team. After her sophomore year, she became a scholarship player for the rest of her college career.

Moving to Baton Rouge, Mary didn’t know anyone and said her early college years were a challenge.

“I went from being the tallest and fastest, to a nobody. Everyday was a competition,” she said.

The lessons of hard work and dedication are some that many of us learn playing recreational sports as kids, but taking that to a college court equipped her with skills she’s used to earn her Sales Manager position at Mockler Beverage where she’s been for the past 17 years.

She began her life after college at LSU with an IT job at a clothing manufacturer. She was looking for a change, and the opportunity presented itself when Mary bumped into Patrick and Shelley Mockler at a hockey game in Lafayette. Shelley had an important position in IT with Mockler at the time, and encouraged Mary to apply.

For five years Mary worked in the IT department until she was nudged in the direction of sales. She moved to “Space” which is one of the most powerful tools for a beverage company.

"Space" is a department that works with a software program that contains data on every product in the way of package size, price, demand, etc. Mockler can build cases and coolers at different accounts and determine profitability and how long supplies will last.

After doing that for a few years, Mary moved into national sales for five years dealing with chains like Circle K. As the company grew, so did Mary’s opportunities.

Now a Sales Manager, she deals with around 120 employees in marketing, distribution, and sales.

“My job now is to motivate my team,” she said. "I don’t want my guys to think I’m just the lady that sits in the office."

During her time at Mockler Beverage, the business has changed completely in terms of products, operations, and for women. Shelley Mockler held an important position at Mocker, and Mary feels as though she paved the way and proved herself making it easier for women to make a name for themselves in the beer business.

In terms of products, Mary said things have definitely gotten more complicated. Where Mockler used to be a one-supplier company (Budweiser), they now have a large product mix that comes with its own bag of rules and regulations to follow.

If there’s one thing Mary knows, it’s the beer business. Much of what we see as consumers is the boom of craft beers, which is a tiny speck in the universe of beverage distribution.

Next time you visit a grocery store, try to see the world through Mary’s eyes and take a stroll down the beer aisle. You’ll notice the “clean store” trend retailers have latched onto, minimizing big displays and marketing props for products. Take a look at a cooler and see if you can tell which products sell more according to the space they’ve been allotted, and take into account size and profitability. The business of beer is a rabbit hole of fascination.

Cheers to you Mary!


This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling
Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops
Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes

Abigail Gullo: Leading Lady of Libation

Abigail Gullo: Leading Lady of Libation

by Blair Loup

Abigail Gullo, bartender at Compère Lapin in New Orleans
Photo courtesy of Compère Lapin

It seems everyone who winds up in Louisiana has a story, and the story of bartender Abigail Gullo’s journey to Nina Compton’s Compère Lapin is one of a New Yorker born to live in Louisiana.

Daughter to a pair of writers, Abigail always felt like an old soul. Growing up around movies like "The Thin Man," where martinis and cocktail hours were a main component of society at the time, turned Abigail into a “girl with moxy.”

“My parents are big drinkers, and like the good New Yorkers they are, they didn’t take me seriously until I had a cocktail published in the New York Times," Abigail said.

Having grown up in a time when as a child she made Manhattans for her grandfather, she felt like she grew up in a bubble.

“When I turned 21, I realized that time had passed. No one made those drinks anymore. You were hard-pressed to find anything other than Angostura bitters," she said.

While studying theater at George Mason University in Virginia, she and her friends took road trips to New Orleans, where she quenched her thirst for rye whiskey.

After she graduated, she moved to New York, where she became "one of those very strange New York actors who didn't work in a restaurant."

She taught early childhood development in the mornings, worked as a nanny in the afternoons, and took to the off-Broadway stage at night.

In her off hours, Abigail still made time to chase the cocktail culture of the city around in places like the Rainbow Room and Windows of the World. It wasn’t until she learned about Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans that she got serious about her craft.

Fascinated with the cocktail culture of New Orleans since her late teens/early twenties, Abigail found herself intoxicated by spirits in New Orleans. She moved to New Orleans and began a true bartending career. Older than her most of her counterparts, Abigail explained she took her job very seriously.

“When you dedicate your life to service and hospitality, you want to go to a city and a culture that supports that,” she said.

To her, New Orleans was the obvious choice.

While there is more support for craft cocktails in the industry, she also sees room for support for female bartenders saying.

“It’s never-ending," she said. "Women may be known as bartenders, but men are 'mixologists.' I feel like I’ve missed out on a few jobs because I don’t have a mustache.”

Bartending requires thick skin and a sunny disposition, both qualities Abigail attributes to her theater background.

She looks forward to clocking in every shift, and she thrives on the challenges of the job.

As someone who spends much of her time working in the Compère Lapin bar (the restaurant was built around the bar), Abigail has nothing but kind words for Nina Compton and the bar's stellar cocktail program.

"I am just blown away by the professionalism, determination, and how much fun it is," she said. "A lot of hours of our lives are spent here, and I believe that translates to the guests."

She may be a New Orleans transplant, but Abigail Gullo embodies all the qualities of a true Louisiana native. Cheers!

Bite and Booze Bonus: Abigail started a blog when she lived in New York City that logged all of her cocktail adventures and it contains countless tasty recipes: RyeGirlinNYC

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts

Erin White: Priestess of Pairing

Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling

Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops

Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes

Libby Landry: Governess of Grapes

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Libby Landry overlooking the vineyard in West Monroe, Louisiana

When you pull onto the gravel road that leads to Landry Vineyards you’re greeted by a landscape of rolling hills covered in grape vines. It’s a sight you can’t see in many parts of Louisiana, but to the Landrys it’s just another day at the office.

Jeff and Libby Landry were high school sweethearts at Hahnville High School in Boutte. Libby turned Jeff down a few times when he asked her if he could carry her books, but a determined man, Jeff won her over eventually.

Three years later, they married. Jeff studied engineering while Libby learned cosmetology. In the early years of their marriage, Jeff traveled across the country for months at a time for work, and after having a few children, the Landrys felt a hankering for something with a slower pace.

The dynamic duo and their four boys settled down in Folsom, Louisiana, and began searching for a blueberry farm. Neither Libby nor Jeff had any experience working on a farm, so Libby had no idea what her family was in for.

You can imagine her amusement once Jeff had discovered a vineyard, talked to the owner, and set his sights to open his own.

“I told him he was crazy…absolutely crazy,” Libby said.

The Landrys' experience wrangling four rowdy young boys was nothing compared to farming.

Six weeks later, the family started laying cloth in the ground to cultivate the land for grape vines. It takes three years from the time the fruit is planted until you can yield a successful crop.

Eight years later, still struggling through the process of growing grapes for wine in Louisiana’s temperamental climate, Hurricane Katrina made landfall. The Landrys moved North to West Monroe, Louisiana, where Jeff had every intention of starting over and Libby saw an opportunity to get out of the business.

But once they found the perfect piece of land, the couple decided to see the vineyard through. The temperature, rolling hills, and soil were ideal for growing grapes.

While owning and operating a Louisiana vineyard may have been the dream of her husband, Libby's hard work made it all possible.

“I would cook food for days," she said. "We’d pack up the boys and live in the old barn showering with a water hose until each harvest was complete. That was our life for a while.”

Six years later, Landry Vineyards bottles wines with grapes grown in California and shipped overnight to West Monroe in addition to fungus and disease resistant grapes grown on their property in Louisiana.

Libby still help harvest the grapes when it’s time, but now her duties lie mostly with the vineyard’s tasting room, concert series, and special events.

Their concert series starts in March and is held every other weekend until the end of the summer. Sometimes over 1,000 visitors attend, and Libby shops and cooks for all of them. Almost every other weekend of the year is taken up with special events or weddings.

In addition to events, Libby also in charge of gift basket orders and coordinating their new wine club.

“The jobs are endless,” she said.

She runs vineyard, keeps her man in check, has two teenage boys at home, and still finds time to pour herself a few glasses of wine; I’ll drink to that!

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beers
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling
Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops

Halston McMullan: Hustler of Houston Hops

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Halston McMullan, Louisiana Sales rep for St. Arnold Brewing Co.

It all started with what sounds like a very Texas 21st birthday. Not deep in the heart of Texas (clap, clap, clap, clap), but somewhere in the shoulder in Lubbock, Halston McMullan chose Triple J Chophouse and Brewery for her birthday celebration.

It was there at Triple J that she had her first micro brewed IPA, and the next day, she applied for a job there.

"I had a palate for it,” Halston said, recalling how her passion for beer began.

Throughout her years at Texas Tech, the International Business major’s love for craft beer grew. Her curiosity intensified after she attended her first beer fest in Dallas.

She learned that people talked about beer for a living, groundbreaking news to Halston, and she made contacts to start a career in craft beer.

“It was never the end game to be in the game,” she said.

After graduating with her business degree, she applied for jobs at marketing firms and corporations while her mom took her shopping for pantsuits, but Halston didn’t see pant suits in her future. It turns out she was right.

The contacts she made at the beer festival resulted in a job doing tastings in grocery stores.

“It felt very natural to me,” Halston said. A month into that gig, she began seeking out sales positions.

She went to St. Arnold (Patron Saint of Craft Beer) for answers and spied a position open for Louisiana Sales based in New Orleans. Halston had never stepped foot in Louisiana, but applied for the job ready to take on a challenge.

“I like proving adaptability to myself.”

While she knew she would be selling beer in a state that loves to drink, she recognized she needed to learn beer from a sales perspective.

“Two years later, I feel like I’ve got it down!”

Being a rep for a brand that isn’t technically local has proven challenging. St. Arnold’s isn’t produced in Louisiana and isn’t distributed nationally, so there’s no Scrooge McDuck pool of money labeled “Marketing Budget” to help push product.

“It comes down to the relationships I’ve built,” she explained, “staying relevant in this market is tough.”

Despite Louisiana’s loyalty to products made in-state, last year St. Arnold had only a two and a half states in their distribution, but were still making Top 50 lists by volume.

“The more I learn about this company and the more I have to fight for it, the more it becomes a part of me. I didn’t know I’d be so proud.”

This post is part of monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution
Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer
Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service
Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops
Myrna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian
Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey
Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
Erin White: Priestess of Pairing
Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling

Beth Donner: Dame of Distilling

How did Beth Donner get the idea to start a Louisiana distillery?

“It was just that. It was just an idea," she said.

Beth, her husband Tom, and their business partners Henry and Jennifer Peltier, started Donner-Peltier Distillery in 2011.

Co-founder, Co-Owner, and President of Donner-Peltier Distillery in Thibodaux, Louisiana
Photo courtesy of the Donner-Peltier Distillery

After toying with the idea of opening a Louisiana rum distillery, they realized it had to be big. While there are only a handful of distilleries in the state, Louisiana residents aren’t new to libations, so they knew they needed to stand out.

The Donner-Peltier Distillery takes a unique approach to their product mix. Not only do they produce three different types of rum made from Louisiana sugarcane (and one with Louisiana pecans), they also churn out gin, vodka, and the first aged whiskey to be made in Louisiana since Prohibition using Louisiana rice.

Being “farm to bottle” is what differentiates Donner-Peltier from other spirits on the market.

It’s an interesting quadrangle of owners.

Jennifer Peltier is a nurse and works at the pediatric clinic with her husband, Henry, a pediatrician. Tom Donner is a practicing neurosurgeon, and Beth has her BA in International Trade and Finance from LSU, and an MBA from FSU (but we’ll forgive her for that).

Beth's background in business made made her the obvious choice to be President of Donner-Peltier Distillers.

As President, Beth handles a lot of the day-to-day duties of running a business, including accounting, financials, and managing staff; but marketing, creative collaborations, and branding falls on her shoulders as well.

“It’s the kind of job I’ve always wanted to do,” Beth explained, “but it’s been hard.”

Beth said there have been a number of times when felt she had to take a backseat when meeting with bars and distributors.

“It’s a male dominant industry, you know?" she said. "It is what it is."

For Beth, it's less about bar accounts knowing she's the boss and more about them pouring Donner-Peltier products.

Like a true woman in charge, she said her focus is on the company, getting their signature brand, LA1 Whiskey, established, and enjoying her favorite Oryza Vodka martini after a long day’s work.

Although her husband is a brain surgeon, Beth acts as the brains of the operation at the Donner-Peltier Distillery where she’s happy to be bringing the sweet nectar of south Louisiana to glasses all over the state in a way that supports and sustains the local economy.

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts

Erin White: Priestess of Pairing

Erin White: Priestess of Pairing

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

Erin White, sommelier at August in New Orleans

You know that moment when you tell a customer, “If it makes you feel any better, I used to be a man,” because they said they'd prefer wine suggestions from a male sommelier instead? No?

Well, maybe not, but James Beard Award nominated sommelier at John Besh’s August Erin White does.

After over 30 years in the industry choosing and serving wines to some of the culinary world’s most A-list celebrities, Erin is an absolute authority on wine.

The job of a sommelier is one that takes great skill. The ability to pair wines perfectly across each dish and at the right price point for each customer is a dream few dare to chase.

If you watch the documentary ‘Somm’ you’ll learn that the journey through different levels of certifications can leave those that attempt it burnt out and alone.

While some choose to make wine their life, Erin chose to make wine a part of her life; she calls it the “earn and learn,” an approach that started with working at a wine bar, eventually getting an assistant sommelier position, and ultimately landing her where she is today.

At this point in her life, Erin has her priorities in line.

She rides her bike to the restaurant, works long hours on the restaurant floor and in the wine cellar, and then takes home August’s bite-sized, heavenly pralines to her security guard so he’ll let her swim laps in the pool in her building after hours.

“My philosophies about life are very much like my philosophies about wine. I think things need to keep a balance. I think your life needs to be balanced for any sort of longevity,” she said.

There were times in the beginning of her career where she wasn’t given the freedom to exercise that balance. In the ‘80s and ‘90s, Erin explained maître d’hôtels wanted nothing to do with women in fine dining. She was forced to work ridiculous hours with no time off throughout her pregnancy and early stages of motherhood to simply earn the right to come to work every day.

Today, she has astounding relationships with Executive Chef Todd Pulsinelli and Pasty Chef Kelly Fields that foster true collaboration.

When talking about her love for wine, Erin said, “If you make a list of all of the things I love, it all incorporates into wine. There’s an artistic sense of color, fragrance, food, cooking, and people; for me, it all kind of funneled into one category.”

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts
 

Cari Caramonta: Mother of Malts

by Blair "B-Rex" Loup

It’s a tale as old as time (cue twinkly, sparkly music), boy meets girl, boy likes beer, boy teaches girl to like beer, boy brews beer, girl pushes boy to open commercial brewery, girl make brewery a success while wild boy brews beer all day, girl makes boy get a haircut. Okay, so obviously the story of the Caramonta’s and how they came to own what is one of South Louisiana’s favorite breweries isn’t simple and cliché and would better be accompanied by insane electric guitar riffs…

Cari Caramonta, Co-founder and Creative Director of Gnarly Barley Brewing in Hammond, LA

It all started in 2005 when Cari and Zac Caramonta met at Southeastern Louisiana University. “I really did not know shit about craft beer,” says Cari, “…and then, he opened my eyes to it, brought me to Red, White, and Brew (an awesome beer bar/shop in Hammond) while we were in college to try all of these awesome beers.”

Cari said when Zac expressed a desire to home-brew, he knew it wouldn’t be enough to use a crappy starter kit. After tasting the kinds of beers Zac produced, Cari saw his potential she encouraged him to pursue his love of brewing even further. Zac easily admits that if it weren't for Cari’s support and particular set of skills, he would have never thought of brewing commercially and yours truly would be left without my craft beer spirit animal: Gnarly Barley Brewing.

“Personally, I love building the business. I enjoy marketing and branding. I think it’s cool that we bring a different dynamic to the table,” Cari said. Watching this brewery grow over the past year makes my heart swell. Knowing Zac and Cari well, I know that Gnarly Barley would not be here today if it weren’t for Cari.

Cari has an outgoing, infectious, bad-ass personality… you know, she’s the kind of girl you want to hang out and drink beers with. Website management, social media guru, special event coordinator, checkbook sultan, extra sack of barley fetcher, merchandise designer, distribution liaison, and expert Zac wrangler are a few of her job titles and add to that mother-to-be.

Though Zac brews beers that are absolutely on point, Gnarly Barley would have been like the Titanic without Cari. Sure, everyone was drinking and having a good time and things looked great, until they didn’t, and that’s where Cari comes in. Without her at the helm, Gnarly Barley would have never stepped foot outside of the garage.

Now, if only Cari could answer her phone, introduce herself when people call asking for Zac, and then hang up or leave messages for Zac (that Zac can’t answer because Cari is in charge), all would be better in the wacky world of Gnarly Barley. Let it be known that there are some talented, intelligent, boss ladies in charge of your beer, gentlemen, and I’m sure they’re growing tired of being overlooked and undermined.

Let’s face it, this is Cari’s world and we’re all living in it.

This post is part of a monthly series spotlighting Louisiana women in the business of booze. Previous features include:

Natalie Parbhoo: Duchess of Distribution

Lindsay Nations: Baroness of Beer

Dori Murvin: Sorceress of Service

Nora McGunnigle: Headmistress of Hops

Myna Arroyo: Vino Valedictorian

Brandi Lauck: Warden of Whiskey