Food

Basic Bitters Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup grain alcohol
1/4 cup of any single or blend of dried herbs, fruit, fruit peels or flowers

By Ian McNulty

New Orleans, La. –
Dinner guests at Stacey Greco's home in Hahnville were forever saying that her remoulade sauce was so good she should bottle it. Don Militello heard much the same thing from fellow tailgaters around Tiger Stadium before LSU football games whenever he broke out an olive salad made from an old family recipe called "olive mix." And the same advice greeted Gentilly resident Monique Hodges once she started bringing her cupcakes around to family parties.

SAVORY PAIN PERDU (Serves 4)

8 SLICES OF FRENCH BREAD,
SLICED 1 1/2 INCH THICK
1 1/2 CUPS OF MILK
6 EGGS
1 TABLESPOON HOT SAUCE (OR TO TASTE)
8 OZ. HERBED SOFT CHEESE (GOAT, FARMER'S OR SEASONED CREAM CHEESE COMBINED WITH FRESH HERBS OF CHOICE)
4 TBS BUTTER

Cut a pocket, from the side, into the center of each piece of French bread. Divide the cheese into 1/8ths and insert one piece into each slice of bread.

By Ian McNulty

New Orleans, La. –
It's no surprise that New Orleanians form intense loyalties to their preferred snoballs. After all, some locals were practically weaned on them. For those who branch out to new turf, however, the diversity of stands and their flavors is enormous and grows from year to year.