Dinner Lab: Nate Kruse

"The Mighty Mississippi" dinner presented by Chef Nate Kruse of Gautreau's was relatively simple in concept and yet very comforting in taste. The continual use of apples in both beverages and dishes helped tie everything together, but it also lent a warmth I would expect in cooler/fall months.

Toasted Ravioli: Italian sausage | marinara | parmesan 

A quite elementary dish, though perfectly tasty. The ravioli may have been fried a touch too long.

Shaved Brussel Sprouts: pickled cherry | poppyseed vinaigrette | pistachio

Paired with: Cherry Bomb: rye whiskey | Herbsainte | Peychaud's bitters | cherry simple | lemon

Loved! Brussel sprouts are great. There were dried cherries and toasted nuts tossed in for good measure. The drink pairing was strong but assisted with the cherry sweetness.

Shrimp Cardinale Risotto: tomato confit | blonde roux | fried shiitake

I could have stopped right here with the meal and been extremely satisfied. The risotto was super creamy and the shiitakes added a lovely crunchy aspect. Give me another round of this please!

Crispy Ribs: smoked apple & pepper coulis | grilled asparagus

Paired with: Apple Tree: spiced rum | apple cider | allspice syrup | lemon | apple bitters

This was okay. The potatoes were yummy: the asparagus a bit overdone: the rib was nice. The real winner was the drink though. It was so warm--like what an October day in New England would taste like I imagine.

Apple & Pear Tart: streusel | cheesecake ice cream

Nothing new here. The caramel was burnt, but that is easy to do, so all can be forgiven. The streusel was nice but could have used a pinch of salt to really amp it up. The beverage from the fourth course went well with this dessert too!

While Sara was working on her best angles I went rogue and cheesed it up :)

Amy & Emily were able to join us for this dinner hosted in a Bywater warehouse. The company may very well have been the best part of the evening!

Mardi Gras #5

My fifth Mardi Gras has come and gone and Lord, it was a whirlwind! The only night of parades that I sat out was the first Wednesday (that was only because I was picking Cori up from the airport); otherwise I made a valiant effort to join the fun! As with most years, our house becomes a hostel of sorts, welcoming friends and family from far and wide to crash on any vacant couch, bed or air mattress. This carnival season brought us Cori from the mountainous, frozen-over tundra more commonly known as Virginia, and Luke, a world traveler from down under, along with a few other party-seekers.

Behold my Mardi Gras photo dump:

Sara, Cori and me waiting for Endymion to roll. So much blond surrounding me!

 Sara & I goofing off in my room | Cori modeling her Muses loot

Friday night glow sticks! Tyler's light up glasses were float throw magnets! | Sara & Cori looking beautiful after Thoth!

AV (rocking a wig), Luke and me at Thoth. 

Luke was so ready to do Mardi Gras! | Brie, Tyler, Cori and I waiting for Krewe of Julu to begin on Fat Tuesday--the chilly weather couldn't freeze our will to party!!

Words of wisdom on Frenchmen Street with a fun reflection of the crowd

An interactive art piece in the French Quarter that encouraged donors to paint their name on the door. 

My annual photograph of the ground featuring remnants of the celebration

 Andrew (who I did not see nearly enough of!), Cori and I | Endymion!

Capturing another "stop sign wisdom" opportunity, this time with the addition of a sassy Aussie with some fierce style :)

Red lips galore!! Living it up in the Quarter!

Oh Mardi Gras. Sigh. I have such a love/hate relationship with you. You utterly exhaust me and yet simultaneously re-energize my spirit. I am thankful to have participated in your madness for so many years, until next time...

The Molly Ringwalds

A couple weekends ago I tagged along with Sara and her friends to Baton Rouge to see The Molly Ringwalds, the "world's greatest 80's experience" (i.e. cover band) play at the Varsity Theater. They were a lot of fun! 

Don't mind this AWFUL picture of me--the place was nearly pitch black and then the flash on my phone was blinding bright!

Their looks/costumes were great!

 A keytar!

I have never seen so many people into a cover band before but the place was packed and they put on a great show!!

It Is Official

I am officially in my "late twenties". One more trip around the sun is all that stands between me and the big 3-0. Scary? Sort of. Avoidable? Not by any pleasant means. I don't really care about my age all that much. Everyone gets older and if they don't it is because they are dead and currently I would rather be alive and aging than dead and frozen in time. I think I still have a few good years left in me ;)

BBC

While I have not become an outright anglophile, I have gained a fondness for British television shows as of late. I featured Orphan Black a few weeks back and since then have flown through the entire Luther series and am full steam ahead in Sherlock! 

Luther = Idris Elba plays a "copper" (a British slang term for "police" that I picked up while watching) who becomes fully engrossed in the cases that he works. His dedication to his job often leads him into morally compromising positions. Though the show has officially ended, rumor has it that a mini-series may be produced later this year!

Sherlock: This has been my first taste of Benedict Cumberbatch and I believe he was born to play Mr. Holmes! I watched the Fargo mini series a few months back and thought Martin Freeman was great--he makes an excellent Dr. Watson as well! This show is fast paced and intense! I struggled through the first season, really enjoyed the second, and have just started the third which thus far has been gripping. The length of each episode makes them feel more like movies, so I can usually only squeeze one in a night.

I have had to watch both series with subtitles on as the thicker the English accent the less I can comprehend!!