Dear Friends May has been an exciting month for SoFAB. On May 8th we displayed a preview of our exhibit, Come Hell or High Water, at the James Beard Foundation Awards in New York. The preview called, “Restaurant Restorative,” was sponsored by Viking Range Corporation. It told the story of the importance of reopening New Orleans' restaurants after Hurricane Katrina. The multimedia exhibit featured photographs, quotations, filmed interviews and a mural. The entire exhibit opens June 22, 2006 at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans. It will remain there until the end of September 2006. Watch an excerpt from the exhibit's documentary film.
Many people worked on this exhibit and all of them deserve our thanks. But we're especially grateful to Elizabeth Pearce, curator; docNO Productions, film; Max Bernardi, muralist; and Eve Troeh, audio.
And speaking of the Beard Awards, congratulations to SoFAB board member John Besh (Restaurant August in New Orleans) who was named Best Chef in the Southeast. The Natchez Food & Wine Festival will be August 4th and 5th this year. For information, visit www.natchezfoodfest.com.
| Recipe: Oysters Rockefeller Three Ways |  |  Located on the historic town square in quaint Oxford, Mississippi, City Grocery has been satisfying diners since 1992 with its contemporary Southern cuisine. Chef/owner John Currence draws on his New Orleans roots to inspire the fare in his restaurant. Although Currence lives and works in Oxford, he frequently visits New Orleans to assist in the post-Katrina rebuilding efforts. His involvement with the effort to Save Willie Mae’s Scotch House and the Southern Foodways Alliance are two shining examples of how truly great chefs not only provide great food to their diners, but also find a way to give back to the community and their colleagues in the industry.
Oysters Rockefeller Three Ways is a signature dish of City Grocery. The dish is inspired by Chef Currence’s childhood visits to the historic Antoine’s Restaurant in New orleans. His love for oysters is reflected in the careful and precise preparation of this dish.
City Grocery is located at 152 Courthouse Square in Oxford. Hours of operation: Monday-Saturday lunch service is 11:30 am to 2:30 pm; Sunday-Wednesday dinner service is 6 to 10 pm and 6 to 10:30 p.m.Thursday through Saturday). Reservations are not required but are highly recommended. Reservations can be made by calling (662) 232-8080.
Rockefeller Port/Sun-Dried Tomato Crust
• 3 c. Sun-Dried Tomatoes (reserve juice from reconstitution)
• 1 1/4 c. Port
• 4 T. Dijon Mustard
• 2 t. Garlic Puree
• 2 T. Bacon Grease
• 1 c. Butter
• 2 c. Bread Crumbs
- saute onion and garlic in butter
- add minced tomato and blend well
- add remaining ingredients and stir together
- place in food processor and puree
- season with salt and black pepper
Rockefeller Mustard Crust
• 4 T. Oyster Liquor
• 2 T. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 Yellow Onion-minced
• 1 t. Celery Seed
• 8 T. Tarragon Vinegar
• 1 c. Creole Mustard
• 2 t. Tabasco
• 1 1/2 c. Butter
• 2 c. Bread Crumbs
- saute onion in butter briefly
- add remaining ingredients and blend well; season with salt and pepper
Rockefeller Spinach Crust
• 5 T. Butter
• 5 T. Spinach-chopped
• 2T. Onion-minced
• 1 1/2 t. Celery-minced
• 3 T. Bread Crumbs
• 1 1/4 t. Thyme
• Pinch Crushed Fennel Seeds
• 1/2 Anchovy Filet-minced
• Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 t. Lemon Juice
- saute onion and celery in butter briefly
- add spinach, bread crumbs, thyme, fennel, anchovy, lemon juice, salt and black pepper; blend well
- wilt and place in food processor briefly; cool
~ Compiled by Addie C. King |
| SoFAB Retail Therapy | | We are reprinting Red Beans and Ricely Yours by Christopher Blake. This book has hit an itch that has long not been scratched. We are so pleased with your response to the book. It makes a great gift, won’t break and isn’t heavy. You can purchase a copy online. If you'd like to carry the booklet in your store or shop or order in info@southernfood.org.
We are also pleased to tell you about a southern culinary product that is not edible, but readable – the Culinary Spell Check Tool. We have installed this nifty addition to our spell check and saved ourselves lots of trouble. Culinary Spell Check Tool can spell étouffée and contains all of the appropriate diacritical marks. Not only does it include the southern specialties, but also culinary words from lots of other languages. If you want to buy a copy, you will receive a discount by identifying yourself as a SoFAB subscriber at www.charliebaggsinc.com. Just type in the code word, south, when you place your order. Happy writing. |
| Changes at Southernfood.org | |
We've made a few changes to the SoFAB site over the past few weeks. They should make your surfing more enjoyable, more rewarding and easier than ever. Changes include:
- A new multimedia page
- "Restaurant Restorative exhibit" on homepage
- Restoring New Orleans Restaurants film excerpt linked from homepage
- "Google Alert" articles published in "Press" section
- "Recent SoFab News" links added to homepage
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| Review: BBQ Queens’ Big Book of Barbeque | | By Karen Adler and Judith Fertig
The BBQ Queens are two women who cook on the grill and slow smoke. They wear tiaras and make like southern goddesses. And it is a good thing that they do. This book is a great overview of all sorts of barbeque. It doesn’t get stuck anywhere saying, “This is really barbeque and that isn’t.” This is the book for those who consider the grill or the barbeque pit to be just another tool for cooking. It just so happens that you usually do it outdoors, often communally, and send those tantalizing aromas adrift in the neighborhood.
This book has rubs and sauces, smoking techniques, indoor techniques, and sides. It is full of information. But besides that, it is a great read. Because the Queens are mentally and spiritually open to the fire, that sensibility comes through in the book. Even the names of the recipes can bring a smile to your lips, before the food even gets there. For example, BBQ Queens’ Love Potion for the Swine, a sauce which not only tastes wonderful, but which the Queens claim has aphrodisiac qualities.
Finally the book profiles a few “Grill Gals.” This is definitely a cross-section of grilling America. It includes Latifa Raoufi, from Kabul, Afghanistan, and pioneering woman on the competitive circuit, Karen Putman, also known as “the Flower of the Flames.”
As we southern women know, a tiara accessorizes anything, and it is worth getting mine smoky to use this book. It is great fun, full of great recipes and loaded with useful information.
~ Review by Liz Williams
More on the BBQ Queens |
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