new orleans

The Big Reveal

/ toothpicktales / 7 Comments

I don’t know why I’m making such a big deal out of this.  It’s really just me prepping for dinner. 

So, in case you were wondering what I was up to with onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic and okra, I’ll tell you. 

It’s Gumbo, baby!

There’s no greater joy than making and eating a great gumbo.  It’s also a little scary, but that just makes it more thrilling!  Making a proper roux has been difficult and sometimes disastrous for me in the past, as I’ve mentioned at least once before in previous posts, but this time I took the training wheels off!

One thing that I love about gumbo is that it’s never made the same way twice.  I should clarify.  I don’t believe it should (or could) be made exactly, the same way twice.  As one of my favorite local DJs says, on his “New Orleans Big Beat” radio program, “You never know what you’ll find in the gumbo.  It might be jazz, funk, rock and roll, blues, or soul…it all goes into the gumbo!”

Gumbo is a soup/stew.  The one thing that is essential in a gumbo is a roux and, if you are familiar with roux, you might be thinking of the butter, flour mixture that you whip up before adding stock, or milk, if you’re making a béchamel.  It’s the basis of nearly every good sauce. 

Gumbo roux is an entirely different critter.  Traditionally speaking, a gumbo roux is made with vegetable oil or lard, or a combination of the two, and flour.  Gumbo roux isn’t finished when the flour incorporates with the oil.  It must be cooked to a point where it turns dark brown, to produce the desired flavor.

Once a year, or so, I put myself to the test and try to make a gumbo that can stand up to the good gumbos that I have eaten, over the years.  With all modesty aside, I really nailed it this time!

Looking back on this particular gumbo experience, I would say that there were three key things that made the gumbo so tasty.  First, I was wise enough to prep for the gumbo the night before I made it, as I mentioned in my last post.  I could have pushed on and made the gumbo that night but, I didn’t want to make everyone wait for dinner and, my instincts told me to prepare some of the ingredients so that when it came time to make the gumbo, I wouldn’t be pressed for time or be stressed. 

Secondly, I did what any great chef would tell me to do.  I made a stock.  I will describe how I made the stock later, but I assure you, it was the signature touch that not only made this gumbo different than ones I have made before, but it gave a depth of flavor that can’t be pulled out of can or a few bouillon cubes!

The final touch was the roux.  As I said, I took the training wheels off and made a doggone roux the way it should be made.  My previous attempts at making a roux involved nervously whisking oil and flour over a medium-low heat, trying to avoid the dreaded “burnt roux”.    Cooking the roux at a lower heat resulted in 20 minutes of whisking only to wind up with a burnt roux.  I was too timid.  I’ve seen people make roux and the process should only take about 10 minutes.

You might be thinking, “how do you know if a roux is burnt?”  Well, all I can say is smell it and be honest with yourself.  If it smells burnt, it’s burnt, and there’s no turning back.  Throw the roux out and start all over again. 

This time, I added the oil to the pot and turned the heat up high.  Not maximum, killer-high, but high.  I let the oil get very hot and then I added the flour, all at once.  The flour began to brown instantly, and even though I wanted to take some photos during the process, I had to keep whisking furiously.  I turned the heat down to medium-high and whisked until my wrist was about to give out.  Seven minutes later, I had a deep, dark roux.  I turned the heat off and transferred the roux to another bowl, to stop the heating process and give the roux a chance to cool down.

The good thing about a dark roux is that it makes a rich gumbo.  The downside about a dark roux is that it won’t thicken a gumbo as much as a lighter, blonde roux will.  Big deal.  I’ve got fresh okra!

The origin of the word gumbo comes from Africa, and it refers to okra, which brings me back to the memories I have of my first visit to New Orleans.  The wonderfully diverse city of New Orleans, and the surrounding areas, owe its alluring charm to the many cultures that has made it what it is today.  Africans, Acadians, Spanish, Native American Choctaw and just about every other nationality and culture you can think of helped build New Orleans.  The list of immigrants continues with Germans, Mexicans, Caribbean Islanders, Chinese, Jewish, Vietnamese, Italians…I’m not making this up!  When people speak of American as a “melting pot” of cultures, they shouldn’t just think of big cities like New York or Chicago.  New Orleans was founded by and supported by a mélange of people and cultures.  It is truly a remarkable city, and New Orleans is a testament to the notion that a diverse population is a beautiful recipe for a community.

Ingredients:

16 medium whole, fresh shrimp

3 Chicken thighs (bone-in, skin on)

½ bell pepper, chopped

1 large tomato, chopped and divided

1 large sweet, white onion, finely chopped

1 large bell pepper, finely chopped

4 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 or 3 garlic cloves, mashed and minced

½ lb. andouille sausage, cut into ½” pieces

2/3 cup vegetable oil (I used canola oil)

1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

64 oz chicken broth (8 cups)

6 oz fresh okra, cut into ½” pieces

3 Tbs Cajun seasoning

Several sprigs of fresh cilantro (for garnish)

Directions:

Chop onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic.  Mix the vegetables in a large bowl and set aside.

Peel the shrimp.  Reserve the heads and shells.  Set shrimp aside.

Rough chop ½ bell pepper and set aside.

Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to a skillet.  Set heat to medium/high and add the chicken breasts to the skillet, bone side down.  Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Turn chicken over and sear, skin side down, for 15 minutes.  Turn the chicken over again and add half of a bell pepper, chopped.  Simmer for 5 minutes, or until the bell pepper softens. 

Remove the chicken, separate the crispy skins and return the skins to the skillet.  Set cooked chicken aside to cool.

Add the shrimp shells and heads to the skillet.  Add 1 cup chicken broth and half of the chopped tomato.  Cover and simmer at low heat for 20 minutes. 

Remove the cover from skillet and mash the softened shrimp heads.  This is not the time to be squeamish.  Just remember, you’re using every part of the shrimp, which is honorable, and you will be rewarded with a very tasty sauce.  This is a must! 

Simmer uncovered at medium heat for another 10 minutes, to reduce the stock.  Pour the stock through a strainer and reserve the finished sauce.  This will make about 1 ½ cups of sauce.

Taste a little of this sauce. It’s a glorious shrimp consomme!

I’m not kidding when I say that I’d be happy just to sit at a table and slurp down this stock and forget about making the rest of the meal.  It’s that good!  But, I know what this relatively small amount of sauce is going to contribute to the gumbo.

After a few moments of enjoying the aroma of the sauce, and dreaming about consomé de camarón, I was ready to get back to the action.

Add a teaspoon of cooking oil to a large stock pot.  Put the pot on the stove and set heat to medium/low.

Slice the andouille sausage and add to the pot. 

Sear the sausage, without stirring, for a few minutes. 

Briefly stir and continue to sear the andouille until the sausage browns slightly.  Remove the andouille and reserve the oil in the pot. 

Add the chopped onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic to the pot.  Cook at medium heat, stirring frequently for 10 minutes, or until the onion begins to turn translucent.  Remove the vegetables to a bowl and set aside. 

Remove the bones from the cooled chicken thighs.  The bones should easily pull away from the chicken.  Chop the chicken and set aside.

Now, go back to the large pot that was used to cook the vegetables.  Wipe the pot dry with a paper towel, to prepare for making the roux.  You don’t want to add oil to a wet pot!  Add 2/3 cup vegetable oil to the pot.  Turn heat to high. 

Once the oil is hot, add the flour, all at once.  The flour should begin to brown as it hits the oil.  Don’t panic.  Quickly whisk and reduce the heat to medium/high. 

Keep whisking as the flour incorporates with the oil.  Over the span of a few minutes, you should see the roux turn from blonde to tan.  Keep whisking and scraping the sides of the pot with the whisk, occasionally.  Let your nose guide you as you whisk.  The aroma should smell something like roasted nuts, or toasted sesame seeds.  The color of the roux should go from tan to dark mahogany.  At this point, reduce the heat a little and bring the roux up to a dark brown.  Again, let your nose guide you.  If you think that the toasty aroma is approaching anything that might be considered burnt, shut everything down. 

Turn the heat off and remove the pot from the stove.  A roux does not have to be chocolate brown to be good.  I’ve stopped at blonde before and have still enjoyed the final product.  This roux wound up being the color of dark, milk chocolate.

As I mentioned earlier, this was the first time I made a roux using high heat.  It came together quickly. I transferred the roux to a bowl, to stop the heating process.  After the roux cooled a little, I carefully tasted it.  Be very careful when tasting a roux.  It’s as hot as lava.  There was a slight hint of flour when I tasted the roux, which told me that I would want to simmer the gumbo for a long time.

Add the remaining chicken broth (7 cups) to the pot.  Turn the heat to medium/low and stir, mixing the residual roux with the broth. 

Add the cooked vegetables. 

Add the andouille. 

Add the okra and remaining chopped tomato.

Okra is a natural thickener.  A dark roux is more flavorful than a light roux, but a dark roux will not thicken a gumbo as much as a light roux.  Okra can make a soupy gumbo thicker, like a stew.

Add the chopped chicken. 

Add the incredible shrimp sauce. 

Add 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. 

Add the roux.  Stir gently to blend in the roux. 

Turn the heat down to low and simmer, uncovered, for an hour to and hour and a half. 

Remember, back at the beginning of this post, when I said that you never know what you’ll find in the gumbo?  Well…while the gumbo simmered on the stovetop, I was also finishing a smoked pork shoulder roast in the oven.  A few days earlier, I applied a dry rub to the pork roast and smoked it outdoors for about eight hours.  It was a cool and windy day, and it was difficult to maintain the proper heat in the smoker, so the roast needed a little more time to finish.  I wrapped the roast in foil and put it in the refrigerator and brought it back out while I was making the gumbo. 

The wrapped pork should slow-roasted for two hours in the oven and, when I pulled it from the oven, I saw that some of the juices escaped the foil wrap and left a sticky glaze on the pan.  I added a little water to the residue and whisked it.  That produced a smokey, spicy sauce that just had to go into the gumbo!

Add the shrimp and simmer for another 20 minutes. The gumbo is ready to serve. 

White rice completes the dish. 

Top the rice with a healthy portion of gumbo and top with cilantro.

I’ll never be able to replicate this gumbo recipe, and I’m fine with that.  There will be other gumbos to come, and they will have their own special place in my heart.

Eat well and eat with your family and friends every chance you get!

In case you are interested, the radio program, “New Orleans Big Beat” is presented by volunteer radio station, WEVL, in Memphis, TN.  Check out their diverse and eclectic programming schedule here: wevl.org

Blackened Fish

/ toothpicktales / 3 Comments

Chef Paul Prudhomme introduced blackened redfish to the world nearly 40 years ago.  If you are a big fan of fish, you will love blackened fish.  If fish really isn’t your thing, you might be surprised to discover that you like blackened fish.  It might even covert you to pescetarianism!  Yes, pescetarianism is a real word.  It describes a person who is a vegetarian but, also eats fish and other seafood. 

Cajun seasonings and high heat elevate a simple fish filet to new levels.  Despite the term, “blackened”, the fish, if prepared properly, will not be overcooked, or taste burnt.  And, despite being a Cajun recipe, it should not taste overly spicy.

This recipe should serve two or three people. 

Ingredients:

2 or 3 zucchini squash, sliced lengthwise, ½ inch thick

4 Tbs cumin powder

1 Tbs garlic powder

1 Tbs cayenne powder

1 Tbs seasoning salt (Cajun, if available)

4 to 6 large fish filets (I used tilapia but Louisiana redfish is traditional)

4 to 5 Tbs butter

1 cup fresh spinach (tossed with oil and vinegar)

Two limes, quartered, for garnish

Cooked rice with a pinch of fresh thyme, added before serving

Directions:

Prepare steamed white rice.

Simmer the sliced zucchini in skillet with a little water until the squash begins to soften.  Remove and keep in a warm place.

Mix the spices (cumin, garlic, cayenne and season salt) in a bowl.

Coat each side of the fish filets with the seasoning and set aside.

Fluff the cooked rice and add fresh thyme.  Add the rice to the serving dishes.

Arrange the cooked zucchini slices over the rice. 

Add butter to a skillet and set heat to medium/high.

Once the butter sizzles, add the fish filets.  Do not crowd the pan!

Pan fry for two minutes and turn the fish over to fry for another two minutes.

Gently lay the cooked fish on top of the zucchini.

Toss the fresh spinach in a little olive oil and vinegar.  Add spinach to serving dishes.

Top with lime wedges.

New Orleans – Part Two

/ toothpicktales / 3 Comments

Prologue:

In case you haven’t heard, New Orleans got smashed by Hurricane Ida, on August 29.  In fact, Ida careened into Louisiana 16 years, to the day, after Hurricane Katrina obliterated much of New Orleans.  Tough times are ahead for everyone in southern Louisiana and Mississippi.  I remember the mass exodus, after Katrina.  I made some new friends, as they made their way north, to the Memphis area.  Many of those people returned to New Orleans and Biloxi to rebuild their homes and communities, after many months,  and now, they have an opportunity to prove their mettle, once again. 

Stay strong, friends.

Way back, at least it seems like ‘way back’ to me now, in May, 2021, my wife and I made a trip to New Orleans.  We had spent most of 2020 confined by Covid-19 and, after receiving our vaccinations, we needed to break away.  We spent 4 days and 3 nights in New Orleans, just as the city was lifting some of the Covid restrictions.  We had a blast.  You can see my first blog about this experience here. 

Here’s some of my recollections from our second day, in the fabulous Crescent City, New Orleans.

Café Du Monde

You’ve got to wake up early in the morning if you want to beat the masses that head to Café Du Monde on any given day.  I mean really early!  Café Du Monde, located in New Orleans’ French Market, which of course is in the French Quarter, is open 24 hours a day.  That’s pretty impressive, considering that mostly serve beignets and coffee! 

How can a café survive with such a limited menu?  You only need to sample their beignets and chicory coffee to understand. Simplicity is divine, especially when the simple things are done right!

Everything you might want is within walking distance, in the French Quarter.  Every stroll unveils interesting shops and eateries.  All sorts of shops, restaurants and hotels can be found on nearly every street.  I was expecting a tourist trap but I was surprised to see a pleasant balance of locals and tourists on the streets and in the stores. 

The Market Café

Dining al fresco might be the best way to enjoy the New Orleans experience.  The sights, the music and the aroma of New Orleans is a treat for the senses.  The Market Café has some indoor dining but most of the seating is outdoors, on the covered patio that wraps around the building. 

We stopped by for an early lunch and I’m glad we arrived before noon.  We waited about twenty minutes to be seated.  By the time we finished our meal, the line was doubled and I imaged that people waited for nearly an hour, to be seated.

The menu at the Market Café is moderately priced and the food and service was worth every penny. 

AWESOME ROAST BEEF PO’ BOY!

I had a difficult time deciding what to try, because I wanted to try everything!  I opted for small cups of Gumbo, Jambalaya, Shrimp Creole, and Red Beans and Rice.  All four bowls were rich and delicious but the shrimp creole was outstanding.  Based on the color and velvety thickness of the sauce, I would call it etoufee, either way, it was full of flavor and very satisfying.

WHEN IN DOUBT, SAMPLE THEM ALL!

As we walked back to our hotel, we came across a Mexican restaurant. I stopped to look at the menu and I thought it might be a good place to visit for dinner.  After our rest, I visited the bar at our hotel.  Patrick’s Bar Vin showcased several types of wine and the proprietor, Patrick, was chatting with some of the regular customers.  I went to the bar to check out the beers, on tap.  Among the regular, expected variety I noticed two Belgium beers, Le Chouffe and Chimay.  I tried one of each and was impressed with the Chimay.  Each pint cost about $9.00, so I sipped them thoughtfully.  While I was there, I struck up a conversation with the bartender and, during the conversation, I learned that he was from Honduras so, naturally, I had to talk about my Tex-Mex roots and  I eventually asked him about the Mexican restaurant that I had seen on my way back to the hotel.  He said that the restaurant was overpriced and the menu was all over the place, which made him feel that the restaurant lacked focus.  He said that if I wanted authentic Mexican cuisine, I should go to Cuñada, which was only a few blocks away from the hotel.  He said that Cuñada was a family owned business, and served authentic Oaxacan food.  I took his advice and was glad I did!

PATRICK’S BAR VIN – BIENVILLE STREET

Cuñada – Conti Street

For a split second, I thought, “Why am I going to a Mexican restaurant in the New Orleans French Quarter?”  I regained my senses and remembered that great Mexican food can be found just about anywhere in U.S., and, more importantly, New Orleans has such a diverse mixture of cultures.  It’s what makes New Orleans, New Orleans.  African-American, Spanish and French influences are woven together, like a beautiful tapestry. 

I felt at home during our visit to Cuñada.  The aroma of beans and spices filled the air as we walked inside. The simple décor and the busy staff members made me think that their emphasis was on the quality of the food.  That proved to be true.

The brilliant colors that might have been missing from the restaurant décor, so popular with Mexican restaurants, were found in the plates of food they served. 

We started with queso fundido, which translates to “melted cheese”.  It is a dip served with crisp or soft corn tortillas. 

This version included five types of melting cheese, Chihuahua, Oaxaca, queso blanco, Monterrey Jack, and asadero queso frescal.  Pork chorizo was added, as well as roasted poblano chiles and cilantro.  The different kinds of cheese were not mixed together, before baking on the cast iron skillet, which gave the dish a nice variety of textures and flavors.  That quality made this a standout version of queso fundido!

My wife ordered enchiladas rojas.  The cucumber, radishes, pickled onions and avocado was a feast for the eyes and the rich red sauce had an earthy tone, with just a little heat from the chilis. 

I ordered fish tacos, prepared two ways.  One was a beer battered fish taco and the other was pan fried.  Both were accompanied by all of the colorful vegetables.  I was glad to see that they prepared the rice in the classic, Oaxacan fashion.  Corn, peas, carrots and a pinch of cilantro turns rice into something special. 

It was the simple bean soup that won my heart.  The beans look so innocent, surrounded by all of the colorful food but those beans were outstanding!  The bean broth was full of mild flavors.  I closed my eyes and concentrated on the flavors, trying to piece together the different spices that went into the soup. 

It wasn’t until we got up to leave that I realized what was in the soup that made me feel so good.  There, hanging from the vent hoods, over the grill, were several bunches of epazote.  That’s the mark of authentic Oaxacan cuisine! 

I’m usually not shy about asking to take a trip back to the kitchen in a restaurant, but this galley styled kitchen was tight and the cooks and staff were dancing deftly around each other, hard at work.  Not a good time to assert myself, I thought.  At the heart of the kitchen was the person I knew would be there.  Grandma.  Grandma was laying out a round of fresh corn tortillas on the grill and she looked tired.  I shouted loud enough for her to hear, “Tengo much gusto!  Gracias!”, which basically means, “I so happy, thank you”.  She raised her head to look at me and seemed bewildered.  I gave her a wink and we left.

New Orleans – Day One

/ toothpicktales / 4 Comments

As a first time visitor to New Orleans French Quarter, I didn’t know exactly what to expect I would see and discover.  Sure, I knew about Bourbon street, famous for Mardi Gras celebrations and I knew there would be plenty of restaurants and pubs to visit but, I was amazed at how accessible all of these places were. 

Walking is the best mode of transportation in the French Quarter. The French Quarter is a compact ward of the city and every street is full of a variety of restaurants, bars and boutiques.  A twenty-minute stroll can lead to world of discoveries.

We checked into our hotel in the late afternoon and, after a few minutes of rest, we were hungry and ready to find our first meal.  We walked out of the hotel lobby and one minute later, we found ourselves at Curio, a bistro and bar on the corner or Royal Street and Bienville Street.

Curio has the French, Spanish and Caribbean architectural style that nearly all of the buildings in the French Quarter share, which means lots of ornate iron work and multiple floors of covered galleries facing the streets.

Curio serves up typical American fare, embellished with Creole flair.

Our waiter, Dylan, was cordial and enthusiastic.  He guided us through some of the items on the menu and steered us toward some excellent options. 

French Onion Soup Au Gratin

$9.00

Caramelized Onion, Rich Beef Broth, Swiss & Provolone

The standout was the French Onion Soup Au Gratin.  My wife and I share this and we might have been happy to split another one amongst us because it was really that good.  There was nothing fancy or trendy about the French Onion Soup.  What made it so outstanding was its richness.  The beef stock was rich and smooth and full of flavors that can only be achieved by a slow process of reduction.  The caramelized onions added the perfect amount of sweetness to the soup.  The broiled cheese that topped the soup was perfectly melted and had just the right stringiness to make it fun to eat, but not messy.

Blue Crab Cakes

$14.00

Louisiana Blue Crab Meat, Onions & Peppers, Creole Coleslaw, Cilantro-Lime Mayo

This was my first experience with blue crabs from the Gulf of Mexico.  It is likely that the crabs actually came from Lake Pontchartrain, which is actually a large brackish estuary in southeastern Louisiana. 

I don’t have crab cakes very often but I know good crab cakes when I eat them.  Good crab cakes need to be full of sweet crab meat and they need to be seared perfectly, to achieve a crisp but yielding outer crust.  The crab cakes at Curio are very good and the cilantro-lime mayo dressing was a refreshing change of pace from the more typical remoulade sauce, or tartar sauce that is prevalent on the East coast. 

As good as these were, they rank number two on my crab cake experiences.  Number one came from a restaurant in Richmond, Virginia, some years ago.  It was a combination of the superior Chesapeake Bay blue crabs and the skilled chef that made them earned them top prize.

Coriander Blackened Redfish

Honey Creamed Mustard Greens

$26.00

Locally sourced redfish is plentiful in Louisiana.  Most are caught in the Gulf but redfish also find their way into Lake Ponchartrain.  Blackened redfish was developed by famed chef, Paul Prudhomme, right here, in the New Orleans French Quarter, nearly forty years ago. 

Blackening fish is a brave yet counterintuitive method of pan frying fish.  Paul Prudhomme’s genius shines brightly through this inventive preparation.  The fish filet is heavily dusted with seasonings and then quickly pan fried in butter at high heat. The result is a very aromatic fish, smoky to the nose, but not overly spicy.  The highlight of the fish I had at Curio was the emphasis on cumin, in the spice mix.  Cumin, when charred, adds a whole new depth of flavor.  The fish sat atop rich, creamy mustard greens.  Time could have stopped while I was eating this and that would have been just fine, with me.  I like big, bold flavors in nearly everything I eat and this redfish satisfied me in every way. 

Grilled Chicken Caprese Sandwich

$17.00

Fresh Mozzarella, Marinated Chicken, Basil Pesto, Tomato, Balsamic, Toasted Brioche Bun

My wife order the Chicken Caprese Sandwich.  She noted that the chicken was moist and tender and the Mozzarella, tomato and basil caprese was very fresh but the star of the sandwich was the delicious brioche bun. 

One of the nicest things about our experience at Curio was our timing.  We arrived in the late afternoon, when the dinner crowd was just beginning to arrive and, after a leisurely meal, we returned to our hotel before the raucous crowds packed the streets and bars.  We dined al fresco, on the second floor gallery.  The temperature was nearly perfect.  We were still a few hours away from sunset and a gentle breeze made the moment even better.  We sat and talked and looked down at the streets below, observing the crowds below. This was a very nice way to start our New Orleans experience.

Prolonged Paella…and a trip

/ toothpicktales / 14 Comments

No, I haven’t fallen off the edge of the earth. I’ve been busy jumping over life’s hurdles. Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. That’s been the name of the game for many, many months and it doesn’t look like there’s any relief any time soon. But, as any good hurdler will tell you, the key to success is to stay limber and be ready for the next hurdle.

And, so it goes.

I’ve got several posts waiting in the wings, waiting for final tune-ups, but I have left them idle for so long now that I’ve nearly forgotten the spirit that lives within each of them. No worries though. I’ll find a way to breathe life into them and bring them into the light, someday.

For now, I’ll tease you with a picture of the paella that I made several months ago and then it’s off to New Orleans. Yes, the culinary Mecca of the U.S. A few decades ago, I might have made a trip to New Orleans just to stagger around Bourbon Street with a drink in my hand, but now I’m going to enjoy the sights, the history, and the awesome food.

I hope to come back rejuvenated and inspired.

But, for now, as promised, here’s a glimpse of a lovely paella!

Bye for now. Enjoy every meal!

King Cake French Toast

/ toothpicktales / 6 Comments

Mardi Gras is right around the corner and that means King Cakes are back in season.  My wife recently made her first attempt at making a King Cake and I must say, it was superb!  The texture of the cake was springy and light and the sweet glaze that topped the cake was sprinkled with yellow, green and purple confectioner sugar, in traditional New Orleans style.  We have been nibbling at the large cake for a few days and it occurred to me that it might be well suited for French toast.  So, that’s what I did this morning.

Ingredients:

Several 1” thick slices of King Cake

2 eggs

1 cup whole milk

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ lb butter (on stick)

Maple syrup

Directions:

Add eggs, milk and heavy cream to a shallow baking pan, or shallow plastic storage container.  Whisk the ingredients briskly. 

Lay the slices of King Cake in the mixture and allow the cake to soak for 15 minutes.  Turn the slices over and soak for another 15 minutes.

While the cake soaks, heat a large skillet, at low heat, and add the butter.

Once the butter begins to bubble, turn the heat up to medium heat.  Place slices of cake into the pan.  Do not overcrowd the pan. 

Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes and turn the slices over, after they have browned.  Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes and remove the slices to a serving dish. 

Serve with maple syrup, bacon and fresh fruit.