Louisiana Fish Fry
Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen
Dorignac’s Food Center
Blue Plate Mayo
Rouses Markets
L.H. Hayward & Company
Spring is in bloom in the Bayou State, which means festivals, outdoor gatherings and, of course, Easter! If you grew up in the Gulf South, there's a good chance your Easter basket was filled with treats from Elmer Chocolate – our state's very own heritage candy company. On this week’s show, we hop over to Ponchatoula to tour the factory where Elmer’s prized Gold Bricks, Heavenly Hash, and Pecan Eggs are made.
Read MoreThe beignet. That simple square of fried dough is undeniably one of the Crescent City’s most famous foods. Few visitors leave town without a ceremonial dusting of powdered sugar that occurs with every beignet bite. Since the mid-nineteenth century, the ubiquitous donut has been sold from French Market stands accompanied by steaming hot cups of café au lait. Twenty-first century chefs and restaurateurs have taken that simple fried dough to new heights, filling them with ingredients both savory and sweet and featuring them on menus far from home.
Read MoreIn today's fast-paced world, where virtually every recipe can be conjured up by doing a quick search online, do cookbooks really matter? After hearing this week's show, we think you'll join us in a resounding yes. Cookbooks teach us techniques and introduce us to new ingredients and cultures. They expand our palates and remind us of old-fashioned ways of doing things – ways that can evoke memories of our long lost loved ones.
Read MoreDown here in Louisiana we love any excuse for a party. Our very Catholic culture dictates that Ash Wednesday is supposed to usher in 40 days of fasting and abstaining, but thanks to a few saints whose feast days fall during that Lenten period, our party just continues.
Read MoreJohn Kennedy Toole's novel A Confederacy of Dunces is internationally revered for having captured the essence and eccentricity of New Orleans — and for introducing readers to its larger-than-life protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly. On this week's show, we take a culinary look between the pages of the book that was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981.
Read MoreRacism in many forms has played an outsized and unfortunate role in Louisiana history. But throughout that history there have been strong, brave leaders who have worked to right the wrongs of the past. On this week's show we introduce you to pioneers past and present who have made a difference.
Read MoreThere’s a lot brewing in Louisiana today. On this week’s show, meet the innovators, the brewers, and the mixologists who are making that magic happen.
Read MoreDown here in Louisiana, we're currently enjoying one of the longest king cake seasons possible. On this week’s show, we explore our favorite Carnival treat with Matt Haines, author of the "The Big Book of King Cake." Matt uncovered amazing historical facts and chronicled the lives and cakes of 75 bakers while writing his new coffee table tome.
Read MoreOn this week’s show, we’re traveling through Acadiana to explore traditional and contemporary Cajun foodways. We begin with George Graham, who shares his obsession through stories of cooking in the region through his nationally recognized blog and book, Acadiana Table: Cajun and Creole Home Cooking from the heart of Louisiana.
Read MoreIt's the time of year for gathering together family and friends to celebrate all that has been and all that will be. An important element to all those spirited celebrations are the spirits themselves. On this week's show, we look at cocktail culture and mixed drinks perfect for any type of get together.
Read MoreThere's no denying the last two years have been a major challenge for everyone. Between the pandemic and the surge of natural disasters across the nation, we've seen it all. On this week's show, we learn how people are coping from coast to coast.
Read MoreThough he’s been on the local restaurant scene since 2010, Chef Jeff Mattia didn’t move to Louisiana until well into his culinary career. At that point, the Marine vet had already worked with some serious luminaries like celebrity chefs Tom Collichio and Todd English. While his career was centered in New Orleans for the first four years, Jeff and his family felt decidedly more at home across the lake in St. Tammany Parish.
Read MoreOn this week's show, we take a journey into the Ice Cream Underground to uncover the magicians taking America's favorite dessert to new heights right here in Louisiana. We begin with Sam Caruso, who has overcome a host of challenges to find a sweet opportunity with Laozi Ice Cream.
Read MoreNew Orleans is well known for its legacy restaurant families. And now, just across the Mississippi River in Gretna, the Mandina clan is poised to claim its own place in our culinary pantheon. On this week's show, we meet three generations of family who have made Tony Mandina’s a Westbank culinary institution.
Read MoreHalloween is upon us and there's something spooky in the air! On this week's show, we have some very special treats (and no tricks – we promise!). We begin with Sally Asher, owner and operator of Red Sash Tours. On Halloweens past, Sally has taken us on special tours of St. Louis Cemetery No. 3. This year, we tour two different New Orleans graveyards in search of our dearly departed restaurateurs, barflies, and forgotten food luminaries.
Read MoreIn 2011, Jessica Harris wrote “High on the Hog,” a book that traces the origins of African American food. Ten years later, it has become the basis of the hit Netflix docuseries of the same name. On this show, Dr. Harris sheds light on the resilience and inventiveness of Black cooks who shaped American cuisine.
Read MoreWhether it's loss due to recent hurricanes or the overwhelming, devastating loss suffered the world over during the pandemic, grief has been an unwelcome guest in many people's lives these days. On this week's show, we take a look at grief, its effects, and the gifts that sometimes accompany it.
Read MoreOn this week’s show, we explore the intersections between hunting, gathering, fishing, and our changing environment. We begin at the Best of Bycatch event – a lighthearted competition hosted by the Southern Food & Beverage Museum back in 2017 – where a highly invasive fish is on the menu: the Asian Carp. Coastal scientist Alisha Renfro talks about how these newest invaders are wreaking havoc on our state's aquatic ecosystems, and Chef Philippe Parola of the Silverfin Group shares his Can't Beat 'Em, Eat 'Em solution.
Read MoreThe origins of food and spirits are usually not well known and can sometimes be hard to track down. After all, how do you figure out where something that’s been around for centuries originated? On this week’s show we’ll speak with several culinary historians about the history of some fabulous foods, and some spirits too.
Read MoreAfter a few glorious months where it looked as if the worst of the pandemic was behind us, a new surge of Covid-19 is now bearing down on Louisiana with a vengeance. A new enemy variant called Delta is coming after us - and this time, it’s after our children. With cases projected to peak sometime between September and November, elected officials and business leaders are weighing new measures to stem the outbreak. On this episode of Louisiana Eats! we look back to how life was in the spring of 2020 and then fast forward to the current Covid situation in Louisiana.
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