Some years ago I came across some American persimmons, which are a little hard to find in this part of the country nowadays. I got a little overexcited and bought quite a few of the rare gems, so I had to go searching for recipes. A friend gave me an old recipe from her family for persimmon pie, and I quickly made it. I appreciated the novelty of it– I’d never even heard of … [Read more...] about Persimmon Pie
Southern Specialties
Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake with Buttermilk Ganache
Valentine’s Day gives us all a chance to indulge, and what better way to treat yourself than a rich chocolate cake that is simple to make and completely decadent. I’ve made some version of Chocolate Pound Cake for years, but I kept thinking “this is good, but it could use more chocolate.” So with some tinkering, I figured out how to pack in some really intense chocolate flavor. … [Read more...] about Chocolate Buttermilk Pound Cake with Buttermilk Ganache
Mardi Gras Potato Salad
I recently made a batch of Debris Po' Boys to photograph and served them to family for dinner. I needed a nice side dish, and though my first thought was New Orleans made spicy potato chips, I happened to be in the produce department and came across bags of little purple and gold mixed potatoes. With Mardi Gras on my mind, I decided I just had to make a thematic potato salad. … [Read more...] about Mardi Gras Potato Salad
Debris Po’ Boys
Mardi Gras is almost upon us, so it’s time to talk Po' Boys. Traditionally, the story goes, the Debris po' boy (pronounced DAY-bree in this case) was made from the leftover bits and pieces left behind from carving a roast, soaked in the gravy and meat juices. But I don’t generally have enough leftover roast beef to serve a crowd, and besides, debris is just too good to wait for … [Read more...] about Debris Po’ Boys
Gumbo Z’Herbes
Gumbo Z’Herbes, or green gumbo, is a very traditional Creole dish that you do not find all that often. The magnificent Leah Chase at Dooky Chase’s Restaurant is famous for hers, and she serves it primarily the traditional way – on Holy Thursday (before Good Friday). Gumbo Z’herbes is said to bring luck and strengthen the body, and that for each type of green you put in the pot, … [Read more...] about Gumbo Z’Herbes
