Po'Boys & Beignets (New Orleans)

Bonjour Nouvelle Orleans
Po'Boys Roast Beef and Fried Shrimp Po'BoysAu revoir Nouvelle OrleansOur day in New Orleans was brought to a close at the famous CAFE DU MONDE where we indulged in powdered beignets and cafe au laits.

Kayak trip + Post-camping meal

Capers Island, SC

"If camping is your form of a vacation, then you should eat like a vacationer too!" - Wendy (CCRC Kayak guide)

So I thought, what food will keep well AND make me happy? Naan bread pizza! I'm not going to lie, I felt spoiled eating this artichoke and feta pizza on the beach after a full day of kayaking!
SunsetSunriseAh the return home! It was so nice to come home to a hearty meal. And better yet it was leftovers - requiring no preparation but a little reheating!
Meal: Cajun style Red Beans and Rice with Sausage over Wild Rice and a Fresh Green Salad.
*I made a large pot of red beans last week and have been enjoying the leftovers ever since. It's always a good idea to make a big batch of soup/stews.. these things usually reheat nicely and freeze well.*

The Chimes (Baton Rouge, LA)

You haven't eaten like a true Cajun until you've tried blackened ALLIGATOR.
Lucky for me and Milena, Lance treated us to a delicious dinner Thursday night during our stop in Baton Rouge. We ate at The Chimes Restaurant near the LSU campus where we got the true Cajun meal experience.
Appetizer: Blackened Louisiana Alligator with remoulade sauce
Main Courses: (NO PICTURE) Gluten-free* Red beans and Rice with sausage and Grilled Chicken (Milena)
Shrimp and Crab, Seafood Okra Gumbo (Me)
Blackened Salmon Sandwich (Lance)

Coffee Shop Culture

While road tripping from Charleston to New Orleans I decided to document all the coffee shops we stopped at along the way. Coffee shop culture is something unique and distinct on its own. Every coffee shop has its slew of "regulars." The regulars come in every morning expecting the barista to remember their faces and know exactly how they like their coffees. One barista in Perdido Key, Florida was particularly impressive with this skill. She smiled and greeted every person walking into Mojo's Coffee Shop and cracked inside jokes with the fellows sitting inside. I complimented her positive vibes and ability to remember every customers coffee before they even ordered. She joked back with me saying,

I couldn't tell you a single one of those guys names! But I bet you that I can match every face in here with their personal order of coffee.

-Words from a true barista (Mojo's Coffee Shop, Perdido Key, FL)

Gallery Espresso, Savannah, GA (art, coffee, tea)I ordered a hot chai tea - served fresh :)Peaches Cafe, New Orleans, LA It didn't take long for the barista at Peaches Cafe to talk me into this decadent mocha frappe!

Soho South Cafe (Savannah, GA)

Only two hours south of Charleston is the beautifully situated city, Savannah. I only caught a glimpse of this Southern charm but what I saw I loved. It is artsy, funky, traditional, colorful, and historic all in one. The Spanish Moss trees decorated the streets where a mixture of modern and historic buildings were located.After grabbing coffee and tea at Gallery Espresso, we walked a block down the street to this cute cafe. This has to be one of the most unique restaurants I have ever seen. Art filled this renovated garage and fancy tables and chairs ornamented the floor. On one side was a coffee bar where people could walk in and grab a quick drink and on the other side was a sit down restaurant.We each ordered the soup of the day, Tomato Basil Bisque. Simply delicious and heart warming.
We also ordered a cold plate of their chicken salad in rice, fruit and salad.

Cafe Des Amis (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana)

Cafe Des Amis is probably my favorite brunch spot. I don't think anyone could argue against spicy bloody marys, mimosas and rich Cajun cuisine to start of your day, but the Zydeco band that plays every Saturday morning is what truly sets Cafe Des Amis apart. The spirit of this restaurant is contagious and its impossible to leave without a smile and a full stomach.
Since I am giving credit to Cafe Des Amis as my #1 brunch spot, I thought I'd mention its close competitors:
* Bistro Du Soleil (Playa Del Rey, California)
* Blue Dog Cafe, Sunday Brunch (Lafayette, Louisiana)
Unfortunately, Milena and I weren't in town for Saturday morning, but we still made a visit to the Cafe and had a delicious Cajun lunch with my mom.Fried Catfish with Crawfish Etouffee, corn, and potato saladBlackened Catfish with vegetables *Gluten-Free*Grilled Chicken filled with Crawfish Stuffing topped with Crawfish Etouffee, corn, and potato salad

James Island and Hominy Grill Brunch

Two weeks ago Milena and I ventured off to James Island for a morning walk along the water. It was a beautiful day, a bit chilly, but perfect for a brisk walk. Although it was quite scenic out on the island, I couldn't help but be distracted by my thoughts for what was up next. We were going to the famous breakfast spot here in Charleston, Hominy Grill. We waited in line for about 30 minutes (amongst and eclectic group of tourists) and finally got seated at a cute little table outside on the patio.Ordering was a bit overwhelming since everything looked delicious. I regretted to learn only AFTER my visit, that they are noted for their "big nasty biscuit w/ fried chicken breast, cheddar and sausage gravy." Instead I ordered the special of the day: shrimp and avocado omelet with grits and sunflower toast. My favorite part of the whole meal might have been their homemade blackberry jam that I lathered on my toast :)Milena tried a different omelet with the breakfast potatoes. As usual we split our meals to taste a bit of both dishes.

It's March - So I thought I'd celebrate the first of the month with a brand new layout!

HUGE thanks to Lance for designing my new page and transforming my rough sketch of the NK logo into a professional and creative design for the blog!

Here's some Fun Foodie Reading: 10 Mispronounced Foodie Words to help sharpen your culinary language. I also found a more extensive list of the top 43 most mispronounced food words on the Village Voice Blog.

1. Bruschetta (broo-SKEH-tah)
2. Gnocchi (NYOH-kee)
3. Gyro (YEER-oh)
4. Huitlacoche (wheet-lah-KOH-chay)
5. Pouilly-Fuisse (poo-yee fwee-SAY)
6. Mole (MOH-lay)
7. Paczki (POONCH-key)
8. Pho (fuh)
9. Prosciutto (proh-SHOO-toe)
10. Sake (SAH-kay)

My favorite is definitely Quinoa, pronounced "keen-wah." Last semester, while I was taking the 6-week Beginners Cooking course at Chef's Inc. in Los Angeles, I was constantly asking Chef Margie if the "kee-NO-uh" was done yet? Really struggled with that one!