I can’t believe I forgot to post this sooner! If you’re curious about the raw lifestyle, the Metairie Whole Foods Market is featuring a terrific presentation by Christina DeLeon, local raw food advocate.
Pepper Soup - TotallyRawsome.com
Saturday, August 28th
No Heat in the Kitchen: A Raw Cooking Demo
Whole Foods Market Veterans
3420 Veterans Blvd., (504) 888-8225
12 to 2 p.m., Free
Local Christina DeLeon of Totally Rawsome will share organic, vegan, gluten-free dinner options designed to keep folks cool in the kitchen. Attendees will learn how to incorporate new meals solely using organic, raw foods. More information is available at www.totallyrawsome.com.
And if raw isn’t your thing…
Saturday, August 28th
Tailgate Throwdown
Whole Foods Market Arabella Station
5600 Magazine St., (504) 899-9119
12 to 2 p.m., Free
It’s time to throw down the tailgate and get ready for serious football season food. Arabella Station’s tailgating experts will sample amazing fare for all the football fans and share favorite recipes.
While it’s been quiet here on NOLA-Eats.com, there’s plenty going on in the city in culinary events and news. Here’s a run-down of a few items of interest and some of the places I’ll be:
The New Orleans House of Blues is holding a jingle contest. Upload a 30-second to one minute video of an original song about your affinity for the HOB’s restaurant menu and you could win concert tickets and more. The details are at their Facebook page, http://facebook.com/hobneworleans.
Tonight (Thursday, July 28th), La Cote Brasserie kicks off the White Linen Night festivities a bit early with complimentary appetizers and Absolut Ginger Mint Lemonade from 5:00 ’til 6:30. I hear Chef Chuck Subra’s gumbo will be making an appearance, as well. http://facebook.com/LaCoteBrasserie
The inaugural event of Nerd Nite NOLA will take place Friday, August 6th at BSI Comics. It starts at 7:30 with a half hour free beer lube session and mingling. Presentations will start at 8 and include The Science of Scratching by DJ Tony Skratchere, a lesson in the chemistry and creation of absinthe by Ted Breaux and some Steely Dan and comic book talk. It’ll be a night of general nerdery and beer drinking. The event is free but nerds must register as space is limited. http://nola.nerdnite.com
Saturday, August 7th marks the 7th annual Great American Seafood Cook-off. Emmy-winning conservationist Jeff Corwin and Chef John Folse will co-host the event that emphasizes domestic, sustainable seafood. Tickets can be purchased in advance at the Whole Foods Market Louisiana stores’ Guest Services desks or at the door. All ticket sales benefit the Louisiana Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Full details can be found at http://greatamericanseafoodcookoff.com.
Sunday, August 8th is the Southern Food and Beverage Museum’s annual fundraising gala, Eat! Drink! SoFAB! Tailgating. Area chefs will create sophisticated tailgating dishes with Southern flair, while attendees listen to the sounds of Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue. Tickets are $75 for non-members, $65 for members and children under 12 are admitted free. You can find the details, menu sampling and even purchase tickets at their website, http://southernfood.org.
My husband and I are quite proud of the adventurous little eaters we’ve cultivated. While Sarah and Nolan both name pizza and cheeseburgers among their favorite foods, they can put away more nigiri and sashimi than some adults. I have to make sure Nolan, our four-year-old, doesn’t eat all the smoked salmon and crème fraiche before the adults get their share. Parents, strangers and child-free friends ask us how we did it, and our only reply is that this is something we’ve instilled in them since they were old enough to eat solids. There’s a New York City-based chef that is promoting the same habits, and he will be in New Orleans this Saturday.
Whole Foods Market and Chef Jehangir Mehta, “The Next Iron Chef” runner-up and executive chef/owner of Graffiti Food & Wine Bar in New York City, have joined forces to create The Kids Food Adventure with Chef Jehangir Mehta, a series of hands-on classes to encourage parents and children to be more adventurous with food while making healthy choices. The series, which kicked-off last week in New York City stops at Whole Foods Market locations in Austin, Boston, Denver, Los Angeles and New Orleans.
The event stops in New Orleans at Whole Foods Market’s Arabella Station location this Saturday, April 17.
Children and their parents will go on a “Journey with Jehangir,” participating in interactive store tours, educational and creative cooking demos, and conversations designed to encourage healthy, adventurous cooking at home.
The program is designed for children ages 6 to 11. Space is limited.
Don’t get me wrong; I love me some crunchy Cheetos every once in a while, but that’s not the sort of snacking we usually indulge in at our house.
My husband and I bought a couple of cheeses from Whole Foods; a small round of Capricho de Cabra Fine Herbs and a generous chunk of Rogue River Blue, which apparently is a “World’s Best Blue Cheese”. I am almost positive that I have had the Rogue River Blue at Commander’s Palace as a selection on their cheese plate, as this is a taste that you won’t soon forget. It is sweet, moist and creamy, and a treat for those who love blues or for those that haven’t yet found a blue that agrees with their palate. For an added touch that is not only appealing to the mouth, but to the eyes is the fact that it is covered in Syrah grape leaves that are macerated in an Oregon pear brandy.
The other cheese, the Capricho de Cabra Fine Herbs, was not my favorite, but I can see why some might love it. It is so much creamier than most goat cheeses I have had and, when served at room temperature (which your cheeses should be), will spread on your bread, cracker or crostini like a softened cream cheese. I found the herbs to be overbearing and wasn’t pleased with the aftertaste it imparted. The sliced apples I had certainly helped, adding a touch of sweetness to the bitter green mix. Capricho de Cabra can be purchased sans herbs, so I think I would love to try it as a stuffing element in…well, something. I will figure that part out later.
What Is NOLA EATS?
Social Dining in New Orleans.
Combine new media & social networking with food & libations and you get NOLA Eats, a New Orleans-based social dining group and blog. Founder, Event Coordinator and habitual socializer Leslie J. Almeida writes about her favorites in New Orleans restaurants and nightlife while promoting a "live local" lifestyle.
You can follow more of Leslie's NOLA adventures by connecting with her on Twitter, Facebook and Flickr.
