of this town?  I’m not going to tell you

because I’m pretty sure you know.

These are the ingredients you need to start with:

1/2 cup boiling water
2 tbsp. lard or butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 package yeast or the equivalent
1/4 cup warm water
1 egg, beaten
3 3/4 cups finely sifted flour (amount may vary)
Confectioners sugar

It is best to watch a native cook these before you try yourself:

Pour boiling water over the margarine/butter/or shortening, sugar and salt.
Add milk and let stand until warm.
Dissolve yeast in warm water and add to the milk mixture with the beaten egg.
Stir in 2 cups of the flour. Beat and then bring on enough flour to make a soft dough.
Place in a greased bowl of course and grease the top of dough. Then cover it with waxed paper and a cloth, and be sure to chill it until it is ready to use.
Roll dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
Do not let the dough rise before frying. This is my secret!!
Cut into diamonds and fry like you are dancing a ballet. Only cook a few at a time in very deep hot fat (360 F). Be sure to brown on one side, then turn and brown to a suntan on other.
Drain these sweet babies on absorbent paper.
Sprinkle with confectioners sugar to be the most traditional.
Eat immediately, of course.
Get ready for a nap if you are sensitive to calories.
What a great experience!

Just listen to this story.

 
One day it was a sleepy Sunday morning. After Mass, we decided to detour instead of walking straight home. A little turn here and a little turn there and we were in the quaintest neighborhood of New Orleans. A dream café, I have to say. I would have thought I was in a paris bistro, even the waitress had that European flair (an exchange student at the university, as it turned out).

 
So anyway, can you believe they had Fiddlehead Fern on the menu. Such a rarity.

 
They taste like a combination of asparagus combined or mixed with artichoke. What could be more heavenly.

These in particular were delightfully small and young, which is of course how fiddlehead ferns should be eaten– very young. They were just lightly sautéed and this removed the bitterness that can be customary.

Bright jade green, and springy, even after cooking. They had no fuzzy brownish scales.

They were so delicious I ordered a second serving to take home. I think the secret was that they had been boiled ever so briefly at the beginning of preparation.
Then in the fry pan they were tossed with some butter and finely, finely chopped herbs.

my favorite.  What I love the most about New Orleans

is the Winter.

While the rest of y’all are freezing inside to stay warm, me and my friends are sitting in our private gardens full of aromatic flowers and ferns, as the sun cascades through the moss in the live oak trees.

 
I sit at the wrought iron table that belonged to my Aunt Millie. If I need inspiration for my blogging I ponder what the concrete sculpture of the Madonna must be thinking . Amongst flowering plants, sitting by the swimming pool under the shining sun, it is indeed a glorious day.

 
This is the secret New Orleans French Quarter… the walled courtyards and mystery gardens, that outsiders try to see as they wander through the French Quarter.

 
I don’t mind if they try to look in. Their envy helps me appreciate the life I have inherited. From the wrought-iron gates of the French Quarter to the aromas of our cajun food.. this is MY NEW ORLEANS. I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

 
Music from the street drifts in and out, catching my imagination and carrying my thoughts hither and yon.

 
A few years ago we put the smaller trees in containers. Now if it ever threatens to freeze, we can move the tiny oranges indoors. Or cover them. We have the same issue with the avocado tree—we can lose the crop if it freezes. Fortunately for us in New Orleans, this is rarely a problem.

 
This is our private heaven, that’s for sure.

 
While some favor pansies and viola, I admit I’m a deviant who favors red geraniums. I like the way their color adds a spark to the worn brick of the patio.

 
What a lush and savory environment for meals with friends and family.

 
There is nothing better than waking up in the morning, opening the doors of the veranda, and gazing down on my little world of luxury. It is far more than a courtyard– it is a way of life.

 
What a blessing it is to be the custodian of this delightful oasis. I shall live here forever!

——-

rhyme.  It sing songs in your head whether you

want it to or not.

Alligator pie,

 
alligator pie,

If I don’t get some,

 
I think I’m gonna cry.

Give away the green grass,

 
give away the sky,

But don’t give away

 
my alligator pie.
–

Mardi Gras is both a blessing and a curse in New Orleans.

 
We love it because it is OURS, our celebration.

 
We hate it because we have to share it with the world, many of whom are drunken yankee tourists.

 
The many parties, balls and parades make it difficult for anyone to do their usual work, and many businesses just give up. Why pay an employee if he’s only had a couple hours of sleep the night before?

 
From the youngest age we learned to holler, “Throw me something, mister!” to the riders on the divinely-decorated floats.

 
It’s a good night to win a necklace. It’s a great night to catch a doubloon—those special coins thrown from parade floats by the Mardi Gras crews.

——-

Someone mentioned that the first tropical tempest storm of the hurricane season had formed. This is one hobby we all have here—watching storms out in the ocean on the weather channel. Boston (our friend, who is actually quite famous so I will keep the name hidden here) had never been through a minor weather even, much less a ‘hurricane hurricane’. I joked that I thought it was decent of the weather gods that they were finally tossing out the first storm of the season, kind of like a first run movie. We don’t get too excited about such things really (well, maybe a little), but our friend was quite in a panic.

 
Panic, since he was a rookie at this storm business, totally clueless as to what one does to get ready for one of these monster events.

 
Landfall turned out to be some 65 miles west of us. But of course as the storm approached nobody knew that was going to be the case.

 
Since then, our friend has always checked the weather reports before flying down from Boston to visit. Now quite wise to the ways of developing hurricanes.

 
Once you’ve seen lawn furniture flying across the yard, you develop a certain routine and rhythm for approaching storms. While it’s still offshore, go to bed but only if you are expecting some windy rain, not a tornado touching down not too far away. Sometimes if you sleep too deeply you awake to the carpet soaked because you didn’t board up strong enough and the wind blew the rain under the exterior doors.

 
–

in my mind trying to get out.  Finally

it came to me this morning:

The water rose,

 
and spared noone.

 
And when

 
the water receeded,

 
The City’s future

 
went with it.

 
–

 
We’ve got all kinds. Fortunately, the French Quarter is the high ground of New Orleans, and typically is one of the few parts of the city with minimal flooding when the Big Weather runs through.

 
Then there’s wind damage. It can be everywhere.

 
Once the sweetheart and I were having dinner with some traveling friends from up north. We finished with our meals, and about 60 minutes later –as we savored our coffee– it was like Chicago the windy city was blowing through. Full with wine and Cajun chicken, we for a moment considered leaving, but then said naw, let’s have one more piece of pie.

 
Then the outdoors turned into something of a Hollywood movie, I have to say. You would not have believed it. One moment we had beautiful clear sky and not a single cloud. The next moment later, trees bent, danced, and swayed in the wind (which we affectionately call The Big Breezy) and rain pelted the restaurant windows coming in at an angle almost perfectly horizontal. We sat back down and finished our desserts.

 
–

The people turned to St. Joseph , asking his help.

 
St. Joseph broke the famine with the fava beans. The rains came and the crops prospered, the prayers of the people of Sicily were answered.

 
So Sicilians then began a building altars to honor him.

 
As a way of thanksgiving, the people made offerings to St. Joseph of their most adored and valuable prized possession – foods made from the harvest.

 
To honor him they constructed a lovely altar with three levels, representing the Holy Trinity.

 
So you see a St. Joseph altar is an offering of affection, enthusiasm, love, labor and sacrifice in honor of the patron St Joseph.

 
You know you’re frum New Orleans of you have a lucky fava in your possession at all times.

What can I say?  There is no life without spice.

 
New Orleans seasonings are an essential part of New Orleans itself. Can you imagine New Orleans without celery, onion, and peppers. Our divine trinity.
When people are headed to New Orleans for vacation, they can hardly contain themselves til they get their first full taste of the flavors and spices of Cajun Louisiana country. The aroma of the onion, the sweetness of the bell pepper, and the crunch and saltiness of the celery are essential in true Cajun cuisine. We are a city of many historic heritages, and these ingredients reflect that.
New Orleans seasonings are often proprietary in families. Sometimes you don’t even tell your best friend. Secret ingredients can include various percentages and textures of oregano, celery seeds, and black pepper or white pepper. The not so secret components can include chopped garlic, kitchen sink spices (chocolate anyone?), salt, dried onion, imported paprika, and red hot chili peppers.
With these ingredients in your kitchen, you will be cooking like a New Orleans native in no time.