Posts in Book
15 Years Of Hauntings - Part 2

We're creeping closer to Halloween, and Louisiana Eats is spoiling for a fright! We're back with the second episode of our 15th anniversary scare-a-thon, bringing you tales of haunted New Orleans locales and a businesswoman in the French Quarter who's just batty for vampires.

Read More
15 Years Of Hauntings - Part 1

While Mardi Gras and Thanksgiving are all fine and good, here at Louisiana Eats, our very favorite holiday has always been Halloween! Every October since the show's debut in 2010, we've gotten into the spooky spirit by bringing you stories of the silly, the supernatural, and the downright scary! This week and next, we continue our crystal anniversary celebration by bringing you two special Halloween episodes featuring moments old and new from the past 15 years.

Read More
The Absinthe Underground

From the height of its popularity in the 19th century to its modern revival, absinthe has a long and storied history. A favorite pastime of artists, writers, and bohemians, the spirit known as "the green fairy" was subject to a near global ban for nearly a century due to myths about its hallucinogenic effects. Even after those bans were lifted around the turn of the millennium, its wild and mysterious reputation remains. On this week's show, we delve into the mythical world of this once illicit elixir.

Read More
Dishes (And Drinks) That Define Us

The origins of our food and foodways are usually not well known and can sometimes be hard to track down. After all, how do you figure out the origins of something that’s been around for centuries? On this week’s show, we learn the history behind dishes that define our American cuisine and the traditions surrounding them.

Read More
Summer Travel (No Baggage Required)

Summers in Louisiana tend to linger longer than elsewhere in the U.S., and for many locals, the heat is a perfect excuse to skip town for more exotic destinations. But for those of us who plan to stick around, there are plenty of ways to take a vacation without needing to pack a bag.

Read More
Kitchen Wisdom

Here in Louisiana, intergenerational cooking is a way of life. Who doesn't treasure their great grandmother's gumbo recipe or still use their mom's roasting pan? This week, we talk with Chef Nini Nguyen and Sarah Ahn, two women of East Asian heritage whose families and cultures share that motherly love expressed through food.

Read More
French Connections

French culture holds a special place in Louisiana's heart, whether it's music, language, or food! On this week's show, we travel to France virtually and bring home a taste of their lifestyle and cuisine.

Read More
Louisiana Legends - Part Two

This month, as Louisiana Eats marks our 15th anniversary, we're relishing the opportunity to bring you some favorite moments from our archives. We begin with our 2011 interview with the late civil rights activist, Dr. Rudy Lombard. He talks about his role in the 1960 McCrory's lunch counter sit-in and what motivated him to write his seminal 1978 book, "Creole Feast."

Read More
15 Years Of Louisiana Eats!

On this week's show, we're celebrating the 15th anniversary of our show's debut! We've dug through our archives to bring you some of our favorite moments over the past decade and a half, with an emphasis on Louisiana culture and cuisine. Today's show includes everyone from a voodoo priestess to an oyster shucking legend. We'll take a ride on a New Orleans streetcar and even sip a beer from the first brewery in Shreveport since Prohibition.

Read More
Truth And Historical Fiction

With a unique history reaching back centuries, Louisiana is a state that lends itself to storytelling. On this week's show, we're joined by two historians to get the true stories behind some common myths and misconceptions. And sandwiched between them, we speak with two authors of historical fiction whose books make our state's past come alive.

Read More
New Orleans' Historic Coffee Culture

New Orleans began her love affair with coffee three centuries ago. Any local of a certain age can remember the grown-ups of their childhood spending hours around the kitchen table drinking a strong French roast blended with chicory. This week we sit down with a cup of coffee and some folks who can tell us the story of coffee in New Orleans.

Read More
New Orleans' New Culinary Guard

New Orleans is one of the oldest cities in America, but its acclaimed cuisine is hardly stuck in the past. Today, the local food scene is bolder, more diverse, and more inventive than ever. That's what food writer Beth D'Addono discovered when researching her latest publication, "City Eats: New Orleans." Beth joins us to discuss the city's talented new guard of chefs and restaurateurs. We also dig into two restaurants featured in Beth's book: Addis Nola and GW Fins.

Read More
An Irish Italian Culinary Parade

From "Cardoons" to "Misbeliefs," "Huckabucks" to "Second Lines" – the Big Easy has a lingo all its own, built on generations of immigrants finding their way to the port of New Orleans, the French Quarter, and finally a life in this city. For centuries, Africans, Southeast Asians, Europeans, and Caribbean Islanders have worked to make a home here, resulting in the hodgepodge of culture New Orleans is today. On this week's show, we examine two immigrant groups who loom large in the story of the Crescent City.

Read More
Magnificent Meals Of Conspicuous Consumption

In the late 1800s, industrialization carried the United States into a new era – one of great wealth and elaborate lifestyles for those at the top. It was frequent New Orleans visitor Mark Twain who coined the term the "Gilded Age," which would later be associated with this time of conspicuous consumption. This week, we take a look at the glorious food at the center of it all.

Read More
Ambassadors of Louisiana Cuisine

Whether it's through television, books, or blogs – Louisiana's food culture is reaching audiences far beyond our borders. On this week's show, we meet three unofficial ambassadors who represent our state and cuisine on the world stage.

Read More
Straighten Up & Fly Right

While most of the country makes New Year's resolutions that kick in right after January 1st, in Louisiana, there tends to be a slight postponement. That's because Carnival Season, a time of indulgence, kicks off on January 6th with the astounding king cake eating and cocktail drinking that comes with it. So, our resolutions about healthy living and sobriety tend to wait until Ash Wednesday – the day after Mardi Gras. This week, we hear from experts about the merits of clean living.

Read More
Monks, Nuns & Mystics

In many cultures across the globe, food is closely intertwined with spirituality and religion. The Passover seder celebrates the exodus of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt. The Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of a month-long fast, with families gathering for a large celebratory meal. And the Christian gospels contain stories of Jesus breaking bread, multiplying loaves and fishes, and turning water into wine. On this week’s show, we meditate on the elemental link between food and faith.

Read More
Life Lessons and Cantonese Cooking

Chinese cooking has been a part of the American dining scene since the mid-1800s and remains an integral aspect of the industry today. This week, we take an in-depth look at the Chinese restaurant tradition from a variety of perspectives.

Read More