Sunday, May 16, 2010

Besh Steakhouse New Orleans

I just got back from New Orleans and my taste buds have been renewed.  My soul has been lifted.  My stomach has been filled.  Thursday night my son Joshua graduated from a local Community College.  I am soooo proud of him.  Thursday night we went to Deanie's Bucktown seafood and tore into a large seafood platter and some onion rings.  This seafood platter contains two soft shell crabs, two crawfish balls, and enough shrimp, oysters, and fish, to feed 5 with leftovers, all fried to perfection.  As good as it was Friday night was a true dinning experience.  We went to Besh Steakhouse in Harrah's casino in New Orleans.  My son Andrew is friend with the general manager Miles, and a waiter Brian, so we were taken care of like royalty.  Truly one of the best meals I have ever had.

First we were brought out hot french bread baguettes with real butter.  Next Miles suggested a red wine called Two Angels.  It was a 2006 vintage high altitude grow divinity bottled, Rhone wine.  Out standing.  Miles brought out some chicken pate with fried crustini to taste as we enjoyed the wine.  Next Miles asked us all what are preference was to meat doneness and disappeared.  Next arrive 5 appetisers.  Oysters in Bourdelais sauce, Natchitoches meat pies, stuffed crab shells, Besh Barbecued shrimp, and plum lacquered pork belly spring rolls, and a dish called Louisiana seafood done three ways.   Shrimp Remoulade, Crab Maison with caviar, and fried oysters in a blue cheese dressing.  I'm not finished.

Next came the main course.  Josh the graduate got the 32 oz. Cowboy Ribeye, Andrew got the 30 day aged 18 oz. prime New York strip with blue cheese butter and Abita Amber onion rings, Kristi got the Wagyu flanks steak, Lori got the surf and turf which was two small tournedos of beef topped with crawfish bernaise sauce, and I got the seared yellowfin tuna with lentils, spinach and foie gras.  I'm still not finished.

Dessert arrived.  Bread pudding, my favorite, Chocolate cake with brandy marinated cherries and ice cream, strawberry shortcake, cream brulee with mixed berries,  and a white chocolate cake with a rum ice cream. 

Saturday was Po boys, boiled crawfish and shrimp, and today was a Muffaletta.

Now I'm finished.

If you go to New Orleans please go to Besh steakhouse.  It will be a dinning experience you will not soon forget.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

BP and the spill

OK, it's time to get on my soap box, and no it's not those cute wooden cars I built with my son's in the Cub Scouts. I'm talking about BP and the spill. I have a unique perspective and I want to share it. I was born and raised in Panama City and my mother lives in a house she built on the beach in 1966. I have spent countless hours cleaning up after our "wonderful" visitors. Beer cans, beach toys, fireworks, and yes condoms. She is now surrounded by ugly condos and the thousands more visitors than the beach can support. She has strangers park in her drive way, use her outside shower, and use the underside of her house as a toilet. Where were we when the Bay County Commission was allowing our beaches to be polluted by this massive over building on our beaches. Remember I spent 15 years as a kitchen and bath designer. I did the Southern Living house at Water Sound, but lost my job when the construction boom ended.  We need to wake up and realise that we need more than white sand to make Panama City grow.  Where are the amusment parks?  Where are the attractions?  What do you do on a rainy stormy day? I also lived in New Orleans for 30 years, taught at the New Orleans School of Cooking, and I know this will devastate the seafood industry, thus the restaurant business there as well. I also know that the oil industry is important to the people of Louisiana both from a jobs stand point, but also those rigs are reefs for fish and shrimp.  One third of the seafood consumed in the US comes from Louisiana.  Where is our seafood industry?  It's terrible that this has happened. Remember people have lost loved ones. Stop pointing fingers and bitching. Everyone is hurting.