When I returned from Jackson on Sunday I was lucky enough to get a free ticket (thanks cousin!) to attend the Chefs for Louisiana Cookery: A Friends of James Beard Benefit at the Kingsley House in the Irish Channel. The tickets were valued at $100 and allowed you to sample the creations of some of New Orleans' most prestigious chefs, sip on wonderful wines, beer, and other spirits, and enjoy some live music from Alex McMurray and Papa Grows Funk. The weather was miserably overcast, windy, and chilly, but that didn't put a damper on anyone's fun. The chefs managed to keep the food hot, the drinks continued to flow, and the band had everyone tapping their feet.
Everything I ate was pretty much "the bomb-dot-com", but my favorite items are as follows: Herbsaint's Pig Roast with Louisiana Citrus; Best Chef Nominee Scott Boswell's P&J Oysters on the Half-Shell with Louisiana Mirliton, Citrus Granita & Bowfish Caviar; Dante's Kitchen's Louisiana Pork Roast with Perique Farms Root Vegetable Gratin & Gin au Jus; Crabby Jack's Slow-Roasted Duck Po-Boy; Emeril's Grilled Gulf Oysters; and last but never least, Susan Spicer's Rabbit Confit Cake with a Fried Quail Egg. The caviar was incredibly fresh and buttery, adding a lovely element when paired with the salty-sea taste of the oysters and the tang from the citrus granita. The slow-roasted duck po-boy has me wondering if fried shrimp could ever satisfy me again. And proof that heaven exists lies in the combination of quail egg and rabbit confit cake. It was butter, it was egg, it was savory rabbit meat, it was spices, it was all put together in a cute little presentation. It was a shame I only ate two of them...
The James Beard Foundation is dedicated to honoring all who are passionate about the food and beverage industry. From the design of a restaurant all the way to the food presentation on the plate, this foundation praises all who are dedicated to making each and every meal special. Please visit their website to read about how to become a member, scroll through the 2010 nominees, and search through some delicious recipes. But first check out all the awesome stuff I ate!
Caviar station display
Chefs Tory McPhail & Chris Lusk of Commander's Palace & Cafe Adelaide: Alligator grillades & grits and alligator sausage
Amazing hot boiled seafood with artichokes
Chef Scott Boswell's oysters on the half-shell with Bowfish caviar and citrus granita
Chef Eman Loubier's Louisiana Pork Roast with Perique Farms Root Vegetable Gratin & Gin au Jus...sorry there's not a plating picture, I devoured it...quickly
The coming together of my Herbsaint Pig Roast with Louisiana Citrus
Chef Susan Spicer handing off some deliciousness
The delectible rabbit confit cake with fried quail egg
Rice fritter, creme brulee, and Steen's cane syrup ice cream
Sucre's Ponchatoula Strawberry and Lemon Verbena Soda
Sucre's Citrus Creole Cream Cheese and Pecan Feuillette
Chef John Besh's white chocolate cake...it was for sale, so I didn't get to taste it :(
M Bistro's Rabbit and Andouille En Croute with Pickled Vegetable Salad & Creamy Tabasco Mustard Sauce
M Bistro's sweet potato tart
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