Hymel's Classic Cajun Fare

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

I'm obsessed with type, and Hymel's retro signage makes me so happy

If you're anything like me, and you grew up in South Louisiana, it can be hard to drum up enthusiasm for a Cajun seafood restaurant. All fried seafood platters seem to meld into one in my mind, each pile of brown crunchiness indistinguishable from the last. In fact, writer Brett Anderson recently penned a column for Nola.com which insisted that fried seafood platters should get the hook.

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.

Gigantic fishbowl of Abita Amber

We started with hush puppies and fried crab fingers as an appetizer. The hush puppies were some of the best I'd ever had (Blair insists Jay's from his legendary tailgating days are the best), and the crab claws were huge.

Jay and Blair split the largest fried seafood platter I'd ever seen. Piled high on the plate were fried oysters, fried shrimp, fried catfish, and a fried soft-shell crab. Served with coleslaw, white toast, and french fries, this platter could arguably feed a small army.

The soft-shell crab was fantastic. It was my first time eating soft-shell crab, and as strange as it was to literally eat the fried shell of the crab, it was incredibly tasty. Fried to a crisp, the fresh crab was a table favorite.

Seafood platter with soft-shell crab, fried oysters, fried shrimp

I made out like a bandit. For about $10 I wound up with a huge plate of fried chicken. And y'all, I love my grandma, but this fried chicken blew hers out of the water. It blew Chicken Shack out of the water. It changed my life. I have formed a religion around it.

There is no god, only Hymel's fried chicken.

The crispy corn meal crust had a distinct pork flavor to it, leading me to believe it may have been fried in...wait for it...actual lard.

The result was a crust that tasted like cracklins. Heaven help us all.

Some of the best fried chicken I've ever had

If you ever find yourself near the river in Convent, hit up Hymel's. It's worthwhile.

Saving the Trees, One Whiskey Cocktail at a Time: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

In a world...where white oak bourbon barrels are in short supply...one small-batch artisan bourbon distiller is saving us all...one whiskey cocktail at a time!

Angel's Envy out of Louisville, Kentucky, plans to repeat last year's "Toast the Trees" campaign this month as part of National Bourbon Heritage Month. For every picture posted on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using #AE4THETREES, Angel’s Envy will plant an American White Oak tree.

And because we're a fan trees (and bourbon) we mixed up a little cocktail to sip for the cause.

Our take on the whiskey sour, with Angel's Envy, Peychaud's bitters, and juice from The Big Squeezy

For this take on the whiskey sour, we mixed Angel's Envy, Peychaud's Bitters, and The Big Squeezy's Sweet Tart, a cold-pressed mixture of pineapple, green apple, lemon, and a hint of mint. 

During the month of September, do your part! Have an Angel's Envy cocktail and save a tree. Our future depends on it!

Month of Salads: MJ's Cafe

by Jay D. Ducote

I started the month of salads in 2013 as a way to trick myself into eating more greens. I also wanted to feature salads that are worthy of consumption as a meal. Believe or not, they do exist. I found this fresh caprese inspired salad at MJ's Cafe on Jefferson Hwy. in Baton Rouge, and it definitely proved worthy of writing about.

The gorgeous plate of veggies featured fresh basil along with organic baby greens, ripe creole tomatoes, cucumber, fresh mozzarella, and a balsamic vinaigrette. Playing on the tomato-basil-mozzarella caprese salad, this version had even more to offer in the way of flavor. MJ's is always a go-to for me when I need a nice comfort meal that's fresh and local. Their salads, soups, sandwiches, and quiches are always top notch, second only to Maureen's warm smile. It is a true gem in Baton Rouge.

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

Things I Learned from Bourbon Curious: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Lock & Key

by Sydney "Brown Nose" Blanchard

In Fred Minnick's "Bourbon Curious" there's something for everyone. Whether you're a seasoned bourbon drinker or a whiskey novice, there's a lot to be discovered in this "simple tasting guide for the savvy drinker."

I definitely fall into the whiskey novice category. Just scanning this book, I learned new things about the history and legends surrounding whiskey. For this Whiskey Wednesday, I've compiled a list of facts from the book that stuck out to me.

This post is best read with a whiskey in hand. Enjoy, and happy drinking!

1. There's a misconception that bourbon must be two years old. Bourbon itself has no age requirement, but to be labeled straight bourbon it must be two years old. 

Flappers drinking bootleg alcohol. Photo from newyorker.tumblr.com.

2. Bourbon can be made anywhere in the United States, not just Kentucky.

Bourbons can be made anywhere on this map. Map from holidaymapq.com.

3. The spelling of whisk(e)y is a matter of preference. American and Irish whiskeys use the "e," and Scotch, Canadian, and Japanese whiskies usually don't.

There are more differences than just one letter. Graphic by danmurphys.com.au.

4. Secret bourbon societies exist on the web, on Facebook, and in the dusty basements of bars. The members of these societies happily refer to themselves as whiskey geeks.

A secret drinking cub at Oxford University in the 19th century. Photo from tailer.com.

5. Early Americans made what would qualify as bourbon and called it "corn brandy."

Early Americans harvesting corn. Photo from farmgirlbloggers.com.

6. There are two competing theories as to the name of "bourbon." We'll never definitively know the truth, but some claim it is named after Bourbon County in Kentucky, while others claim it's namesake is Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Photo from onebigphoto.com.

7. The Bottle-in-Bond Act of 1897 gave women career opportunities. Women became chief bottle operators because they were known to break fewer bottles.

Vintage postcard. Photo from bad-postcards.tumblr.com.

8. U.S. brothels were major whiskey retailers in the 1800s.

The Brothel Scene from A Rake's Progress by William Hogarth, 1735. Photo from Wikipedia.

9. In order for whiskey to be called bourbon, it must be stored in new charred oak containers.

Different levels of char produce different effects in the aging process. Photo from australianbartender.com.au.

10. Tabasco is one of the largest companies purchasing used bourbon barrels. Tabasco ages its product in Kentucky bourbon barrels for at least three years.

Peppers growing on Avery Island in Louisiana. Photo from tabasco.com.