NOLA Eats - New Orleans Food Blog Covering The Dining and Restaurant Scene » holidays

Kicking Off The Carnival Season With A King Cake Giveaway

Leslie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:39:07 +0000

Whether you were born and raised here or a recent arrival, you’ve got to have at least one king cake to celebrate Mardi Gras in New Orleans. I want to help you kick off your Carnival season properly with a FREE king cake from my favorite bakery, Maurice French Pastries.

How do you get a shot at winning? Comment on this blog entry, give us a mention on Twitter (we’re @NOLA_Eats) or drop us a comment on the NOLA Eats Facebook Page with your funniest or most embarrassing Mardi Gras moment. It’s that easy and, man, it will be worth the price of this king cake just to get a chuckle from all of your crazy stories. Just be certain that I can contact you somehow should you win.

Now, there is one catch; You must be a local to win this prize as you must be able to pick up the cake from the CBD. (Sorry to my out-of-town readers! I promise to have something for you guys in the near future.) You can even do a drive-by if you don’t want to park, but you’ve got to come pick it up. I will take the names of those participating and use a list randomizer to select the winner. Stories will be collected until 11:59pm tonight, NOLA time. The winner will be announced tomorrow afternoon, right around lunch time, which is when you can come and claim your delicious Maurice French Pastry king cake. Good luck!

Okay, hold up! It has occurred to me that not all my readers know what this Mardi Gras business is all about. There are a slew of people that are more knowledgeable in the history and traditions than I am, so here are a few great links to graze upon:

Arthur Hardy’s Mardi Gras Guide (a necessity!)
Nola.com’s Mardi Gras In New Orleans
NewOrleansOnline.com – Mardi Gras News and Stories
New Orleans Mardi Gras wiki on Wikipedia.com

Last Minute Shopping At The Hollygrove Market & Farm

Leslie — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:25:47 +0000

If you aren’t signed up for the e-newsletters from The Hollygrove Market and Farm, then you are missing out on some informative updates. Today’s newsletter is a reminder that they will be open tomorrow for your last-minute shopping and cooking necessities. Also, this is an excellent opportunity to pick out that perfect orange or other citrus fruit for your big or little kid’s stocking. If you missed out on today’s newsletter delivery, check it out below.

A Gentle Reminder:

We want to invite everyone for any last minute shopping on Tuesday, December 22nd, from 11am-7pm. Come shop with us and our friendly staff will be more than happy to assist you in any last minute shopping or cooking needs.
Be Sure to Shop Local this Holiday season!!

The Following Items will be available for individual sale!

FRUIT:
Bitter Oranges, Kumquats, Pink Grapefruit, LA Sweets, Meyer Lemons, Navel Oranges, Satsumas, Ruby Red Grapefruit, Strawberries, & Tangerines

VEGETABLES:
Food from our Farm Collective:
Arugula,Broccoli, Buttercrunch lettuce, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Cilantro, Cushaw Pumpkins, Garlic, Green Onions, Mizuna, Mustards, Parsley, Purple Top Turnips, Tomatoes (cherry & Grape), Spaghetti Squash, Spinach (baby), Red Sails lettuce, White Sweet Potatoes, White Turnips,Winter Squash & much more!

Vintage Garden Kitchen Soups :
Potato & Swiss Chard
Smothered Chicken with Rice & Greens
Spicy Black Bean
Yellow Split Pea with Tasso (A best seller!)

Pastured Meats:
Pork Chops
Patty Sausage
Ground Beef
Lamb
Liver
T-bone Steaks
Minit Steak
Smoked Sausage

Don’t forget our Dairy: Smith Creamery, Ryals Fresh Chevre or Feta, & Fresh Yard Eggs!

Thanks for continuing to support The Hollygrove Market & Farm.
See you Saturday!

8301 Olive Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70118

The Roosevelt Hotel’s Waldorf Wonderland and Teddy’s Café

Leslie — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 15:55:36 +0000

Last weekend, we took the kids to check out The Roosevelt Hotel’s lobby, all decked out for the holidays. A tradition that began in the 1940s is back after a few year-long hiatus, but much more elegant than I recall it being. After strolling under the white birch trees, shiny baubles and twinkling lights, we stepped into Teddy’s Café, which had a mostly edible train table and village on display. I had to tell our four-year-old that the chocolates and candies were sprayed with a preservative that would make him sick if he ate any of it, just so that half the display wouldn’t disappear. When a lady was watching my seemingly innocent child gaze in wonder, she asked him if he liked it. He replied with, “Yes, but it’s poison.” I am not certain what she thought about that, because she promptly walked away. Happy holidays, lady!

The mood was perfectly set for an early holiday event, but I did have one issue with Teddy’s, and since this is a food blog, I will share it with you. While the adults’ coffees were good and the children’s hot chocolates very delicious, I was a bit disappointed that beverages were served in paper cups. So much attention has been paid to the decor and furnishings that paper cups just do not fit in. Teddy’s Café is the type of place I would like to hold a hot cup to sip from and warm my hands after a brisk walk from work. Instead, I had to suggest that my children’s hot chocolate be double-cupped, since they were out of those little cardboard hand protectors. No one wants to drink hot chocolate from a covered paper cup. How are you supposed to get to the whipped cream?

The desserts we ordered were fine, with my husband’s espresso slice o’ heaven being the clear winner. I have previously enjoyed some of their artisan chocolates and they were quite good, especially for the price.

If you haven’t had the chance to visit The Roosevelt Hotel or are a long-distance reader, please enjoy these pictures I took. I am still experimenting with the different features on my camera, but these are some of the better shots.

The Roosevelt Hotel

123 Baronne Street
New Orleans, 70112-2303
(504) 648-1200
Get Directions

NOLA Eats Holiday/Anniversary Party

Leslie — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:12:12 +0000

Join us for the TWO, TWO PARTIES IN ONE event of the year. Ok, just of the week. OH, ALRIGHT, of the night. Dang. Anyway, it’s the NOLA Eats Holiday/Anniversary Party and you’re invited. Come as you are or wear your best fugly Christmas sweater. Don’t forget the birthday hat, since we’re also celebrating six years of NOLA Eats.

Friends new and old are invited to meet at Yuki Izakaya this Saturday, December 12 at 8:30pm for drinks, food and other indulgences. Don’t forget to check out their bathroom! *wink wink*

Please comment here with your RSVP, as I would like to have an idea of how many people will be attending. Santa Leslie will have a free shot for the most festively dressed attendee. Christmas boxers and birthday suits are optional.

Yuki Izakaya

525 Frenchmen Street

New Orleans, 70116

Get Directions

NOLA Eats Holiday (fill in the blank)

Leslie — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 00:50:00 +0000

I thought it best to leave it up to the majority to decide where our holiday cocktail event/anniversary party should take place. I wanted to make certain that I am not forcing an event upon anyone that would be breaking their budget during the holidays. Please state your preference for either a casual/low-key cocktail event (bar/pub) or something a little swankier (lounge/club/restaurant). If you would like to recommend a venue based on your choice, please feel free to do so.

This event will take place Saturday, December 12. The time will be determined based on the venue, but I am open to suggestions for that, as well. Put on your thinking caps and let me know what you, my dear friends, would like to do. I leave you with this gem from 2007.

Ho, ho, ho!

EDIT: How about Yuki Izakaya? Unique drinks for the drinkers, snacks and small plates for the munchers.

EDIT 2: Ok, Yuki it is! Let’s meet for 8:30pm.