An expatriate of New Orleans – and professional chef – who has lived in Los Angeles since her childhood, blogs about the journey from New Orleans to Los Angeles back to New Orleans, and points along the way.

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Comfort Food Buffets for the Holidays

Posted by on Oct 20, 2008, 7:11 am in Food and Drink, Seasonal Celebrations, Small Pleasures Catering | 0 comments

“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above gold, it would be a merrier world.” J.R.R. Tolkien Now there’s something we sorely need reminding of at this moment in history. Okay- so, yes, we need some gold , too in this life, and everyone’s concerned about their shekels right now. But in spite of what the stock market, the banks, and the Treasury Secretary et al are doing, we still have holiday entertaining and celebrating to do. So the line of attack is to strategize how to create the best value for your money when it comes to holiday parties. I’ve heard news reports recently that sales of comfort foods are up.  A holiday buffet full of comfort foods sounds just perfect for these challenging times- a feast of meatloaf with mac and cheese, roast turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, fried catfish, hush puppies and greens- yum! After all, the comfort foods of many cultures have gone on to be universally loved culinary delights. We all have a soft spot for those certain foods, and we could certainly use a little comfort right now. I’d love to hear what your favorite comfort foods are, so leave me a comment.   Macaroni and Cheese   Save Save...

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Thoughts on Food and Dining

Posted by on Oct 14, 2008, 8:07 pm in Seasonal Celebrations, Small Pleasures Catering | 0 comments

Leah Chase, the co-owner and chef of Dooky Chase’s restaurant in New Orleans, said in a post-Katrina interview, “Food is like a healer to us. And when we give it to you, we feel like we're doing some great.” How simple and wise. I was questioned today on my thoughts about food, and what it was that I thought I had to share that was special. As I wrote, I found myself getting more and more excited. I would like to share a bit of what I wrote with you. “I believe food has the power to heal, not just our physical bodies, but our psyches, our spirits. I believe strongly, that food, and the coming together to partake of food as a social act, greatly enhances our lives. I believe that this is an important message, that I have chosen (and which has chosen me) to deliver through my work and life.” It's a message sorely needed for our times. Bon Appetit! Gisele...

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