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Dear Friends,
It
seems that the word "locavore" is everywhere. Restaurants are holding
"locavore" dinners. It has become the norm that menus specifically
mention the name of the local farmer that has provided their mushrooms,
milk, oranges, everything. The New York Times "On Language"
columnist William Safire explored "locavorism" this past Sunday.
"Locavorism" was actually Oxford American Dictionary's "word of the
year" in 2007.
We published a fantastic article last week, "Eating Alabama,"
by Rashmi Becker Grace. This week we take a look at her Alabama
table. Eating locally is a great way of preserving food traditions,
one of our missions at the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. If
preserving food traditions interests you, Poppy Tooker, of Slow Food,
has a short video on endangered foods, recorded at the Slow Food Conference. Basically, to preserve it, we need to eat it.
A
whole group of people have become inaugurated as members of the new
food religion, locavorism. Even those who are not fully on board (it
is sometimes hard to give up wines imported from Argentina and cheeses
from France and vanilla from Mexico), seem to be much more aware of the
power of the consumer in the food industry, choosing locally grown
tomatoes and other things rather than imports. With import prices
rising, locavorism also seems to be a prudent dietary choice. In
addition to peek at Rashmi Becker Grace's table, we learn a bit about a
food product from Louisiana, Cousins Creole Tomato Dressing. When
locavorism looks like this and tastes like this, one wonders how we
ever got away from an appreciation of our local food traditions.
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum explores food traditions in all Southern states. Please visit us.
Interested in newsletter, ezine, or journal submissions to SoFAB's publications? Email stephanie@southernfood.org.
Cheers,
Stephanie Carter
Editorial Director
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Cousins Creole Tomato Salad Dressing
by Emily Marquis
Memories
of the very first time I encountered Cousins Creole Tomato Dressing
make me nostalgic. My taste buds remember that day like it was
yesterday. While visiting a very dear friend of mine, I decided to
cook dinner for her and her guests. My friend's eating habits are
pretty healthy and she had previously stocked her refrigerator with
fresh, local vegetables and fruits. As my eyes glided past each
section of the refrigerator, I stopped and stared in wonderment at the
six (yes, you read that correctly) jars. Maybe I should repeat that to
emphasize my astonishment. "Why in the world would she have six jars
of 'Cousins Creole Tomato Salad Dressing' on her refrigerator shelf," I
thought.
Unless you have tasted this marvelous dressing, you
couldn't possibly understand having six jars of it at any given moment
in your refrigerator. We are featuring this product because it has a
creamy, tangy and natural flavor that allows for a wide variety of
culinary uses. Among others, it can enhance a wide variety of foods,
from chicken salad to many seafood dishes, and of course, the beloved
fresh summer salad.
On the night I pulled dinner out of a hat
for my friend, I took one jar of this special dressing off the
refrigerator shelf and paired the Creole Tomato Dressing with fresh
salad greens, tomatoes, hard boiled eggs, steamed green beans, roasted
pine nuts, blueberries, and jumbo lump crab meat. I still run into
dinner guests from that night raving about that delicious salad!
The
creators of this heavenly local dressing are Allison and Jack Cousins
of Covington. In 2003, they began by selling it at a farmers' market
and averaging sales of a whooping nine jars per day! The Cousins' use
ingredients fresh from the farm to pass that one-of-a-kind "straight
from the garden flavor" on to all of their fans. Today you can find
the sugar free, low sodium, and no preservative or additive products in
the produce/cold salad dressing sections of such stores as Dorignacs,
Breaux Mart, Calandro's, Rouses, Langenstein's, and now in all Winn
Dixie stores in Louisiana and Mississippi.
For restaurants
looking to revamp their bland salad dishes, the answer is here! The
Cousins are now offering food service sizes to the Gulf Coast region.
Plus, for added convenience you can order the ultra gourmet dressings online in such flavors as Bleu Cheese, Spinach Vinaigrette and of course the heavenly sought after Creole Tomato.
....................................................................................................
Emily
Marquis is the media chef and culinary producer at John Folse ad
Company. She was formerly a food buyer, giving her a love of gourmet
products. She lives in Louisiana.
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Cinq a Sept
live music. wine. food.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
5 p.m. - 7 p.m.
After work, bring your fedoras and dancing shoes and drop by the museum for live music by the NEW ORLEANS GYPSY ALL STARS as they perform a melange of Django style swing, New Orleans
style swing, Latin swing, and more swing. Five talented musicians
familiar to New Orleans audiences from their work with Vavavoom, New
Orleans Jazz Vipers, Hot Club of New Orleans and various other rag tag
swing ensembles, team up to bring you a fusion of traditional, latin
and euro jazz. The New Orleans Gypsy Allstars are Bart Ramsey on
accordion, Raphael Bas and Matt Johnson on guitars, Neti Vaan on
fiddle, and Nathan Lambertson on standup bass.
Also, enjoy complimentary hors d'oeuvres from SOUTH OF THE BORDER, and a cash wine bar provided by THE SAVVY GOURMET.
Cinq a Sept guests receive 25% off all Southern Food and Beverage Museum merchandise.*
*Museum of the American Cocktail merchandise not included
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BIG READ EVENTS
THIS WEEK
Panel
Discussion: Prejudice and Peer Pressure, Underlying Themes in Two Works of Art
location: The Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Tuesday, October 14
5:30 p.m.
Discussion of issues of racisim, class and social justice using food as an entry
to discussion. Refreshments...
The Concepts of Law and Social Justice in "To Kill a Mockingbird"
location: The Southern Food and Beverage Museum
Saturday, October 18
2 p.m.
Liz Williams, a lawyer and president of the Southern Food and Beverage Museum,
will discuss the issues of law and the concepts of race, prejudice and social
justice in "To Kill a Mockingbird."
If you are teaching "To Kill a Mockingbird," you do not want to miss discussion
On the Search for Mockingbirds - A Birding Event in City Park
location: Couterie Forest, City Park, New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday, October 18
8 a.m.
This beginner level event allows participants to stroll through one of City Park
's gems - Couterie Forest . Trained guides are stationed throughout the forest
to instruct on different types of birds, how to spot them, their calls, Louisiana
plant life, and more. Refreshments and birding info will be provided. Partners
include: Friends of City Park , the Audubon Society of New Orleans, Save Our
Cypress Coalition, the New Orleans Public Library and the Southern Food and Beverage
Museum. The Bookmobile will be present.
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Recipe: Chris Blake's Grasshopper Bars
Chris Blake is the author of "Red Beans and Rice-ly Yours"
Brownie layer
4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Mint layer
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint flavoring
4 drops green food coloring
1 tablespoon milk
1 tablespoon crème de menthe
Topping
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
6 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 13x9x2 in. baking pan.
Brownies:
Beat together the melted chocolate, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla
with an electric mixer until combined. Stir in flour and nuts. Spread
batter in the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack.
Mint Layer:
Beat together the butter, powdered sugar, peppermint flavoring and food
coloring. Add enough milk or crème de menthe to bring to a spreading
consistency. Spread over cooled brownie layer. Refrigerate, covered,
for one hour.
Topping:
In a double boiler melt the chocolate pieces, the butter and vanilla,
stirring frequently. Cool slightly. Spread the topping over the
chilled mint layer. Let stand for one hour. Cut into 36 bars.
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Eating Alabama:
September Bounty
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