In running a Southern Restaurant in California, we learned a lot about how to not cook. We thought we did well, but it was just another Californian attempt at regional food.
So, off to Crescent City, New Orleans, we went to learn the cuisine of the creole. Overall the best experience was standing in Paul Pruhomme's Kitchen at 7:30 on a Friday Night, learning how to properly blacken catfish. In California, Recipes and technique are closely guarded secrets. No so in the south. The Hospitality really does exist. They would rather have us make the food the right way! So everyone showed us what we asked for. Grits with sauce debris', true po'boy bread, good beignets and chickory coffee, on and on.
Unfortunately, the humidity cannot be taught. The air down there does something to the bread that cannot be artifically duplicted in the desert of California. Try as we might, we never had true success with Beignets. We had a few good runs, but consistency was impossible.
Time is the secret also. Good food takes time. Not as in the new 'slow food' movement, but the time to do it right. Let the bread rise on its own, dont rush it. Oh, and a GOOD DARK ROUX TAKES ALL DAY. Seemingly anyway. I can make roux all day long and thought the Étouffée was good - sorely mistaken. No butter, just oil, flour and time at a very low heat - rush it and you'll throw it away every time.
Gotta go find some crawdad's for dinner - hope the fish monger is ready for me today!
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