Food

By Ian McNulty

By Ian McNulty

Lafayette, LA –
As Louisiana recipes are passed down through the generations, it's common for them to acquire family stories and lore. The same thing sometimes happens to cookware, especially the seasoned cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens in which we cook our gumbos, stews and jambalayas.

New Orleans, LA – Can I share with you a little secret? Farmers markets may operate for only a few hours a week in each location. What you may not realize is that the relationships established beneath the tents and umbrellas carry on long past the closing bell. One example of this is the relationship between Poplarville's J&D Blueberry Farm and Hubig's Pies. Our city's beloved century long Simon Hubig Pie Company is owned by the Bowman and Ramsey families who when not frying shop at markets. This summer, they were in search of lots of frozen blueberries for their blueberry pie.

By Ian McNulty

New Orleans – By 4:30 in the morning, Al Sunseri is usually performing his pre-dawn stake out near the corner of Iberville and Bourbon streets in the French Quarter. He's an owner of P & J Oyster Co., and he's looking for a parking spot for his delivery truck. It's important to get into position before the beer vans arrive to restock the many nearby bars because P&J workers have their own heavy lifting ahead of them at this particular corner.

New Orleans, LA – If you're like me, you've started your Saturday morning early shopping for the pick of the crop at our region's farmers markets only to head back home in time to brew a pot of coffee and chicory, enjoyed with Isabel's tamales. I then prepare Saturday lunch featuring Mississippi chevre and and cucumbers from La Rose. Sound familiar? The only sounds I've not yet mentioned are the ones on my radio: The Splendid Table on WWNO, 89.9 FM. In the world of public markets, we rely heavily upon the transfer of knowledge we gain from our public radio.