New Orlean's Zats

So when I started this blog in 2004, I never imagined that I would get offers for food and wine. Cookbooks show up at my door hoping for reviews. I trying to establish a standard, what I'll accept, what I won't and what I'll write about and what I won't. No thanks to the weird water filter system. No thanks to the book on macrobiotic food. Blech. Great big hell YES to Zatarains.

I got an email recently from a rep at Zatarains offering me a couple of samples of their products. Now I'm not a big fan or food that comes in a box or a bag, but there are exceptions and Zatarain's is one of them. When you are in New Orleans and you sidle up to one of the waitresses, or cooks and ask how they make rice and beans... they say Zatarains. The company has been aroundn since 1889, so I guess they aren't yanking my beads. Now I know not everybody does it that way. Some people are willing to slave over a stove, but I think these lovely boxes can be dressed up nicely. And they have a new low sodium version. The box that landed on my doorstep has Creole Mustard, Fish Fry, Fried Chicken Fry, Jambalaya Mix, Blackened Seasonings and more. One of my favorite weeknight suppers is cornbread and beans and rice. My mom used to make it at home, tossing in a couple of sausage links and a small salad on a cold, almost-too-late-to-cook-dinner night.

Since New Orleans is one of my favorite places in America, we're closing in on marking the third anniversary of Katrina (and our government's continued and still deeply SHAMEFUL response), and seeing as how I have a HUGE box of goodies from Zatarains... I'd like to share the wealth with you. Post all the creative details of what you'll do with Zatarains, how you'll dress up the box and while supplies last I'll get your info, "Where Y'at?" and send you some fun.

No takers? Aw, where's the love people?

Cake Wrecks

If you haven't seen it you need to click now and check out the funniest blog I've ever seen. I laughed so hard I cried, real tears.

Opinions are Like A&%holes. Everyone's Got One.

Do you ever check out Yelp, or Chowhound to see how folks rate your favorite go-to places? Sometimes it cracks me up to read how high-and-mighty folks get writing their own reviews.

Check it out. Cafe Beaujolis in Eagle Rock. In a nutshell, it's a charming without being too cute, little French neighborhood bistro. Great neighborhood. Great parking. Good solid French food. Nice decor and warm waiters. The bread isn't the greatest, and the desserts are a little on the safe side... but the appetizers and main courses are really fantastic and could easily be split with a friend. The service is really knowledgeable and ... well, French. If you ask an opinion, you're going to get one. And it won't be neutral, but frank and direct. But they do know their stuff and they obviously enjoy the chef and his food. So match that to the reviews on Yelp... Most of them rave about the cute staff and the great escargots.

One yelp review says, "Good food, snobby waiters. If you don't speak French, assume that everything they say to one another is about you. If you do speak French, you'll know it is." And she still rated it four out of five stars. And um, I speak enough to know they weren't talking about patrons when I was there, but who knows. What's booger en francais?

And another woman criticized most aspects of the meal and then ended with, "But all-in-all, I would definitely go back here again. But next time it has to be on a date. This place is way to fancy." Huh?

And my favorite review, "Without a doubt, the best restaurant in town to go to with a girl you want to dump. The food is good, it is way too crowded for real conversation and the waiters, like a bad SNL skit, are likely to hit on her.
You will have a good meal, avoid getting yelled at and she will for sure get a slimy guy with an accent trying to get her phone number before you both leave. Win: win!! Oui,oui. All the butter - half the class of great french food. The last place I would take a beautiful girl I really liked." Insecure? Just a little? What would he do if a girl he was grooving on said SHE made reservations there? Hmmm.

Wear Your Pumpkin Pie

Click here. I couldn't resist.

Pfffffttttt....

If you live in LA you've heard about the problems at the LA Times.... but today's Food Section is just ridiculous. It's six pages long. And one of those is a full page ad. So five measly pages of editorial. It's thin enough to blow your nose in. Such a shame and tragic in a city where food unites us all.