Treats

October has been éclair month at Sucre as mentioned before but until the other night I had only tried one flavor. A Salted Caramel treat got messed up at the kitchen a few weeks back so I was able to sample that one, however, I wanted to make sure I tried a few others before they went away! I swung by the store and picked up a half dozen to be shared with the roomies.

 

Clockwise from the top: S'mores, Raspberry Pistachio, Super Chocolate, General Honore, Apple Pie a la Mode, and the Tabitha.

S'mores = chocolate and graham cream center, topped with roasted marshmallows, and shards of graham cracker croustillant

Raspberry Pistachio = raspberry marmalade covered with pistachio mousse and sliced fresh raspberries

Super Chocolate = chocolate eclair shell filled with chocolate cream covered in a dark chocolate glaze

General Honore = puff pastry with a Crème Diplomat topped with three caramel crusted profiteroles in traditional Mardi Gras colors

Apple Pie a la Mode = spiced cream with roasted Granny Smith apples topped with Chantilly cream

Tabitha = Paris tea infused cream with blackberry marmalade

 

They were all quite tasty but I would say the Apple Pie won my award for the Best Éclair! There are still a few days left before the fall menu rolls out, perhaps I will squeeze a few more flavors in :)

Who Ya Gonna Call?

Ghostbusters!

I  think that I watch a lot of movies and I feel like I view a wide variety of genres, but apparently I have missed out on an entire decade (the 80's) of "great cinema".

I had never seen Ghostbusters before the other night when I went to the Prytania to see it with Andy and Zack. Sure I know it exists, sure I know the song, but, nope, I had never seen this Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Rick Moranis, Sigourney Weaver classic.  

It was funny. It was entertaining. Rick Moranis' character was my favorite. Do I need to watch it again? No, not really. Maybe once more, but then I'm good. Watching on the big screen was nice though.

Blues & BBQ

Last Sunday was the Saints bye week so to pass the time without football, Brie, AV, Andrew, Billy, Evan and I went to the Blues & BBQ Festival downtown. It was a gorgeous day out; sunny but not too hot!

 

Boudin Balls & Grits with BBQ

We took in the good food and the good music before heading back uptown for a little Creole Creamery.

Challah-Day Baking Class

On Saturday afternoon I took part in another bread making class at Gracious Bakery. The focus was on sweet doughs and we made Challah, cinnamon rolls, brioche, and Babka. I am still no-pro by a long stretch, but I find the classes fun none-the-less!

 

Sara trying her hand(s) at shaping brioche balls. She was pretty good!

 

Chris, a baker at Gracious, showing us how to do the 6 piece braided Challah. It is way more complicated than a regular braid!

 

6 piece braided piece and Challah roll with pumpkin seeds after they had proofed. | Finished regular braid Challah loaves.

 

 Proofed chocolate swirled Babka

Cinnamon rolls with pecans and raisins | Savannah, another baker at Gracious, putting an egg wash on the brioche rolls | Baked brioche with brownie pieces inside, covered in a chocolate glaze that was then baked again to harden up.

 

 The finished, glazed cinnamon rolls | Savory brioche rolls with coppa, ricotta, and parmesan cheese baked on top | Pearled sugar brioche rolls

 

 

 My take-home pieces!

 

It was so much bread! Luckily the house is full of guys right now, so they have been making a dent in the goodies! I typically only get lunch when I visit Gracious (sandwich and salad combo) but I will definitely be purchasing more of these tasty delights in the future!

The Lumineers

Tuesday = last minute Dinner Lab. Wednesday = last minute Lumineers concert!

An old co-worker and pal had a free ticket and inquired about my interest in going with her Wednesday morning! I knew they were playing New Orleans at some point in October but had not looked into tickets so the surprise offer to go was more than exciting!

A band called Nathanial Rateliff opened, followed by Dr. Dog. I need to look both up on iTunes because I liked their sound. We had general admission tickets so that put us on the ground level where everyone was standing. The only other time I have been to UNO's Lakefront Arena was to see Bob Dylan a few years back.

 

Crowd shot from the top of the arena | The Lumineers' beautiful set... check out those gorgeous chandeliers

 

Laura and I had decided to not fight the masses in an attempt to get closer, so we hung back in the crowd. This choice paid off in a tremendous way when half way through their set the band set up a makeshift stage RIGHT IN FRONT OF US and performed two songs! These pictures are not zoomed in, the entire band was within arms distance! I thought that was super cool that they came out and gave others a chance to see them up close and personal! I'm sure the folks in the stands appreciated it too since they were closer to them as well.

 

I would say I knew 75% of the songs they played but had a big smile plastered on my face 100% of the show! Their energy was very fun!

Dinner Lab

At the last moment Tuesday evening Sara and I were invited to attend a Dinner Lab event at Second Line Stages! I may have mentioned DL on here before, but if not this blurb from their website sums it up nicely:

Dinner Lab is a membership-based social dining experiment that unites undiscovered chefs with adventurous diners who are looking for something different from the traditional restaurant experience. Whether it happens on the roof of an abandoned building, the floor of a paper mill, or inside a motorcycle dealership, we believe that good people, good food and good drink are the only elements paramount to a memorable meal.

 

The theme for that evening's dinner was "Sunday Pub Roast" presented by Chef Jonathan Follett of Root. (I haven't been to Root yet, but intend on going for sure after this fabulous dinner!)

  

Second Line Stages is a movie production studio and home to multiple sound stages. There was a warehouse kind of feeling to the space and lots of graffiti all around. Rumor was that they were shooting American Horror Story in the space beside the area DL had taken over.

 

Two dinners were served that night, this picture was taken after a large portion of the crowd had cleared out. Sara and I dined with the later group. Everyone is set up at long tables with folding chairs so that there is interaction amongst folks who don't know each other.

 
1st Course: ENDIVE oyster-celeriac puree | champagne mignonette | fresh dill CELERY SHOOTER celery | gin | lemon | bitters
Notes: Probably my least favorite of the courses simply because I do not have a taste for oysters...no matter what form they are served in. The drink pairing, however, was delicious and very refreshing!

 

2nd Course: YORKSHIRE PUDDING popover | lamb neck & short rib | marmalade | chives

Notes: Yum! The meat was very tender and flavorful. The little purple flower was a nice, visually pleasing addition.

 
3rd Course: ROOT VEGETABLES crispy potatoes | roasted parsnips | shallot & herb glaze
Notes: An over-easy egg was added to this dish as well which made me nervous since I had never tried runny yolk before. Mine was cooked pretty well though which I think I preferred. I love parsnips. This could be an awesome breakfast dish!

  

4th Course: SUNDAY JOINT roasted lamb leg | bacon-fried brussel sprouts | mashed swede | horseradish-mint sauce

Notes: Sometimes I like lamb and sometimes I don't. This time I liked it! The mashed swede (rutabaga) was very good, very mashed potato like. Bacon-fried anything = great!

 
5th Course: SPOTTED DICK bourbon crème anglaise | cranberries | beef suet WARM ENGLISH PUNCH dark rum | red wine | tea | orange | lemon
Notes: The cake was very dense and the cranberries gave this dessert a nice sweetness. I do not like wine nor oranges but this warmed drink was actually quite tasty. Kind of like a sweet, heated up cough syrup.

 

As an ending note there were dark chocolate peppermints with a hint of violet. They were a nice cool way to end this spectacular meal. My only thoughts were that this was a weighty, warm-themed meal and it would have been especially enjoyable on a cooler evening (damn New Orleans and its 80 degree October days!)

 

It was very cool to be able to attend a Dinner Lab and makes me want to become a member even more, though I don't think membership is open right now due to it's intense popularity! Currently DL is active in New Orleans, Austin, Nashville, and New York with branches opening in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami and Washington D.C. soon! With growth like that it is hard to believe they have only been at this for slightly over a year! Super cool :)



Carrie

Believe it or not, despite my love for the horror flick genre, I had never seen Carrie until last night. Like most every other American that didn't grow up living under a rock, I knew the gist of the story: "they're all going to laugh at you", pig's blood, telekinesis, mean girls, etc. However, I did take away a few additional things:

 

• Who knew that John Travolta was in this movie?! I certainly did not. Why did I not know this? He definitely was no charming Danny Zuko, that's for sure! His character was ornery and constantly drunk.
• Those girls were just plain ol' mean to Carrie! Who does that to someone? I hear so much about anti-bullying campaigns these days, but clearly this is not a recent phenomenon. Mean Girls has nothing on the brats in this movie. 
• It seemed like there was more nudity than I imagined would have been kosher in 1976. Multiple full frontal girls. Surprised me.
• The guy who took Carrie to prom.... what on earth was that hair-do?? His blond locks were so full and bouncy! I bet a lot of ladies were jealous!
• Was it just me, or did there seem to be an excessive amount of slapping going on throughout this film? Teachers slapping students, girlfriends slapping boyfriends, boyfriends slapping girlfriends, mothers slapping daughters. So much slapping!

I am looking forward to the remake coming out later this month!  

1976 v. 2013

 Those blond ringlets! John Travolta's hair was quite enviable too!

 

They basically showed you the entire movie in the trailer! "If you have a taste for terror..."

 

The version of "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" is creepy!

Fall? Where Are You?

Twenty four years of living in Virginia programmed my internal calendar to associate back-to-school with lowering temperatures. Regardless of if I am able to see the date on an actual calendar, I believe my body can sense the amount of time that has passed and knows what should be occurring. Three years of living in New Orleans has not re-programmed me. It is mid October and it should be "fall". Football is in full swing, scary movies are being shown in theaters and on TV, Halloween is around the corner, The Walking Dead is about to come back on, and everyone is obsessed with all things pumpkin.

 

Virginia is seeing highs in the 60's and lows getting down into the 40's at night. I'm sure people are building fires and making sure their oil tanks are filled for the season, enjoying sweaters and boots. In New Orleans we continue hitting the mid 80's daily and are lucky to dip below 70 at night. Air conditioners are still humming away in the Big Easy as people don short sleeves and flip flops.

 

 

My only bit of fall for now is the background picture on my phone. I miss the leaves changing colors and the gorgeous mountains the most. To cheer myself up I think I am going to make something pumpkiny and delicious this afternoon then put on a good horror flick!

Hiring People Sucks: Round 2

This time last year I was dealing with the same dreaded task of hiring people.

I HATE IT. I hate the whole stupid process; it is painful for everyone involved. I note every minor mistake I see and pass judgments about people I certainly don't know and most likely will never meet. But alas, there are multiple positions that need to be filled and try as I might I can not make the perfect employee appear out of thin air. Reading resumes may be the most boring, mind-numbing thing I can think of. Each one is a regurgitation of the same thing over and over and over again. Here are a few gems I have encountered during my latest hunt for people:

• "I have a vast experience of working in clerical capacities and the core functions of this job exactly suits to my in borne talents." Come again? What does that even mean??
• A gentleman who said he was "stricken by Hurricane Katrina" wrote an entire paragraph in the third person and capitalized "He" throughout. If God himself is applying for our Delivery Driver position I suppose we should feel honored.
• "I would like to share with you my love for your company and the superior deserts you offer." Oh, the difference one little "s" makes!
• An applicant for the Fulfillment Assistant spot had nothing but funeral home experience, including embalming bodies and noted at the end of her resume that she enjoys crocheting. Hmmm....not sure how any of that will help in the advertised position but thanks for sharing!
• "Grasping the city and its culture and its music was my first inspiration to a life in this charming city." What are you saying??
• "I am very hard workin". I am sure you are. Must be too busy getting that work done to worry with the "g".
• Lots of people have experience with "costumers". Maybe they've all worked in the movies or at theaters? I personally have a lot of experience dealing with customers.
• "Well versed in enlightening project requirements, exceptional leadership skills, experienced building world-class teams of professionals, establishing vision, setting goals, communicating and motivating, empowering and developing people." Where do I even begin? What is this person saying in this ridiculously long sentence? "Enlightening project requirements" = what? "World-class teams" = bold statement. I think they were trying to beat the record for longest sentence using big words that switch back and forth between the past and future tenses. 

 

This is what I am dealing with people! This crap. Fluffy lies in the same format repeated dozens of times. Oh! And can I go on the record saying that there are some DUMB email addresses out there. Be professional. This isn't a teen looking for a job at the mall. My first email address was froggy139@hotmail but you don't see me using that anymore!

Face Cast

Brie has been wanting to make a cast of my face for a while now and our schedules finally lined up yesterday to make it happen. She purchased a course online with instructions and supplies to get started and give her practice with special effects makeup. Refer to this post to see some of her previous work!

 

I found this snippet from her manual funny; this "subject" is not claustrophobic, thank goodness, and did not need to be touched and reassured the entire time, though Brie did stay with me and chat while everything was hardening up. It was just a little awkward that I couldn't reply with more than grunting noises!

 

I got to wear a super stylish black trash bag that was taped around my neck with blue painter's tape. As a precaution Brie put plastic bags over the chair I was sitting in, on the floor, and on the walls behind me as to not get gunk all over her house. To prepare my head for the fun she had to put a skin cap on me and slick back any fly away hairs with water so they wouldn't get caught in the alginate. She used spirit gum to glue the cap behind my ears and to my forehead. Once she had applied Vaseline to my eyebrows and I removed my nose ring she was ready to spread gunk all over me.

 

As instructed she started at the top of my head, spread the alginate over my eyes pushing it into the corners, then over my nose, around my mouth to my chin and neck, then finally covering my closed mouth and around my nostrils. That stuff sets up pretty quickly so this was a fast process. I had no trouble breathing out of my nose as she continued on to the next step: applying the strips of plaster. Before the plaster went on I could still sense some light through the alginate, but once the plaster was over my eyes it was all dark. Then it was a drying game. I probably sat there for about ten minutes while Brie chatted away as to reassure her subject that everything was going to be okay! LOL! When it was time to remove everything I twisted my face around, stretching my jaw and wiggling my forehead to help the cast release from my skin. It came off pretty easily.

 

The plaster part sets up hard and the alginate is kind of rubbery. So now she has a cast to fill with other gunk that will give her a 3D version of my face that she will be able to apply different prosthetic/make up techniques to. I look forward to seeing what kinds of things she creates!

 

After that fun adventure I went to get a manicure and pedicure then found myself wandering around Target for a bit. I tired on a few dresses and therefore was looking at myself in a mirror. I didn't notice anything odd at all. Later that night when I was going to take my makeup off I spotted red marks around my neck. When Brie removed the painters tape earlier in the day she commented on the marks it left behind but they went away and I assumed they were just a result of sticky tape being gently ripped off my flesh. Now I am wondering if I am allergic to that adhesive. It doesn't itch or bother me, but still this morning you can see faint marks. Weird.

*notice my nice new blue nails :)

I Do Eclair!

Sucré is mixing it up for October with twelve different varieties of éclairs!

 

For the entire month the kitchen has done away with the regular line up of desserts and will be whipping up nothing but éclairs in fun flavors such as Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, S'mores, and Banana Passion Fruit. Some are filled, some are sandwiched, and nearly each one is topped with a fun garnish ranging from a pipette filled with raspberry sauce to a mini cocktail umbrella to graham cracker feuilletine shards that resemble flames!!

 

 

Tariq looooovvves his éclair! I dare to say it may be his favorite French dessert, and while Sucré has always had a traditional vanilla on the menu, this large culinary expression of creativity is possibly his dream come true!

 

The case looking awesome at Lakeside

This is the first time we have tried something like this, but we are off to a good start, working out the kinks, and getting the word out to the locals! Come try them all! The "I do éclair!" (to be read in a very southern bell/Gone with the Wind voice) fun will only be for October, then the kitchen will be unveiling a new menu for the fall! 

An interview with Tariq: 

Breaking Bad Binge

Oh man! Dexter wrapped and I dove straight into Breaking Bad via Netflix. Another one of those "you would really like it" kind of shows that I have proceeded to binge watch for a week now! The tension, violence, and constant fear for the character's lives has made me anxious and I honestly think it has affected my sleeping. But those blood-pressure-rising scenes haven't stopped me from continuing to chug through the series. The finale was on last Sunday so while AMC was airing the marathon I recorded a bunch of them since the second half of the last season is not on Netflix yet. I have tried my best to not read any spoilers online!!

 

62 episodes at roughly 50 minutes each = 3,100 minutes = a little over 51 hours...I got this!