Louisiana Eats

Located at the opposite ends of the country, the states of Louisiana and Maine appear to share little in common at first glance. But take a closer look, and you'll see two places that share a passion for their distinct seafood culture – each home to a galaxy of culinary rockstars who elevate their local cuisine. On this week's show, Louisiana Eats takes you with us as we travel to Maine to explore the food scene in the Pine Tree State. We begin with Lady Oyster Tours and Tastings in Phippsburg, on the Casco Bay Peninsula. Owner and operator Virginia Shaffer is Maine's first "oyster sommelier," or certified oyster expert under the Oyster Master Guild. Throughout the year, Virginia and her company educate tourists on the local oyster industry, offering tastings and boat tours of oyster farming operations. She tells us about Maine's rapidly growing oyster industry, before Captain Joe Jerome steers us to get a first-hand look at an oyster farm. Then, we travel up the coast to meet Melissa Kelly, the first two-time recipient of the James Beard award for Best Chef Northeast. Melissa tells us about her Rockland farm-to-table restaurant, Primo and her remarkable life in food. We also meet farm manager Abigail Gallagher, who gives us a tour of the multi-acre farm surrounding the restaurant. Next, we visit the small town of Bath to dine in a restaurant overlooking the Kennebec River called OystHERS Raw Bar and Bubby. The seasonal raw bar is owned by sisters Sadia and Lauren Crosby, both lobstermen's daughters from nearby Georgetown Island. Sadia owns a sea farm, where the house oysters are produced. Lauren tells us the story behind OystHERS, which serves up fresh bivalves from local female-owned and family-owned farms. And who should we run into there, but Susan Spicer! The New Orleans chef tells us what she's cooking while cruising up the Atlantic coast. We end our trip at Browne Trading Market, a magical food and drink emporium in Portland. Since 1991, Browne Trading Company has been the supplier of seafood, caviar, and other delicacies to an exclusive restaurant chef customer base. Among our discoveries there were percebes – also known as gooseneck or turtle-claw barnacles – harvested on the Iberian Peninsula and exclusively available from Browne Trading. Specialty foods manager Michael Rigo explains why the job of harvesting these edible crustaceans is not for the faint of heart. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

From crumbly cornbread that perfectly complements a home-cooked meal, to warm cookies that can make you forget any problem, baked treats are key to happy eaters everywhere. This week, we celebrate the delicious half-science, half-art that is baking! First, we hear from our old friend, food writer Anne Byrn. Her latest cookbook, Baking in the American South, is a beautifully photographed tome, featuring hundreds of mouth-watering recipes along with the history behind each one of them. Next, baker Jim Lahey talks about the 15th anniversary edition of his ground-breaking cookbook My Bread: The Revolutionary No-Work, No-Knead Method. Jim began a bread-making revolution decades ago with a Le Creuset pot, just a handful of ingredients, and, most importantly, no need for kneading! Finally, we chat with Renato Poliafito, owner of Brooklyn bakery and café Ciao, Gloria, and author of Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent. In his newest book, the two-time James Beard Award nominee set out to capture the flavors of Italy stretching from the Old World to the New. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

New Orleans has long been known for its Spanish, French, and African influences, so it can be easy to overlook the role the Chinese have played in our culture and cuisine since the mid-1800s. On this week's show, we explore the Chinese in the Crescent City – yesterday and today. First, we hear from the Historic New Orleans Collection's Winston Ho, who fills us in on the captivating history of the Chinese community here. He talks about the earliest restaurants that cropped up during Reconstruction, the Crescent City's short-lived Chinatown, and the substantial Chinese impact on the local seafood industry. Then, we fast forward to the present day to learn about Miss Shirley's Chinese Restaurant on Magazine Street – named best new restaurant in Louisiana by Southern Magazine in 2024. We visit with the restaurant's namesake, the vivacious Miss Shirley Lee, whose Royal China Restaurant in Metairie drew customers from all over the metro area for four decades. We chat with Miss Shirley about why her retirement only lasted a year – and meet her daughter, Carling, who is carrying her parents' traditions into the next generation. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Twenty years ago, on August 29th, 2005, Hurricane Katrina violently swept through New Orleans. The storm and subsequent levee failures brought chaos and devastation to the city and surrounding areas. On this week's show, as we mark two decades since Katrina, we explore how New Orleans residents and businesses were able to respond quickly and creatively to rebuild our city. We begin with Richard McCarthy, founder and former executive director of the Crescent City Farmers Market. Richard and I reflect on our experiences during those uncertain days following the storm and the grassroots effort that led to the market reopening just ten weeks later. Next, we turn to the late New Orleans icon Leah Chase. We revisit inspirational conversations we had with the beloved chef at Dooky Chase Restaurant about the unexpected gifts of Katrina. Finally, as Natco Food Service celebrates its centennial this year, we learn about one of the most difficult chapters in its history. Family proprietors Anne Babin and her brother John Lalla tell us the story of what happened at their meat-filled facility in the hurricane's aftermath and how the company bounced back. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Every Labor Day weekend, tens of thousands of members of the LGBTQ community from around the world gather in New Orleans for the five-day party known as Southern Decadence. To celebrate, this week, we bring you stories of culinarians expressing queerness through food. First, we hear from John Birdsall, author of "What Is Queer Food? How We Served a Revolution." He tells us about the often-unknown gay influence on modern American cuisine and some of the hidden heroes who have contributed so much to how and what we eat. And, perhaps most importantly, he answers the titular question of his book. Then, we catch up with our New Orleans friends, Kitten N' Lou. You may know them as the couple who put on spectacular shows that combine drag, dance, burlesque, and a theater. By day, they're the owners of Chance In Hell SnoBalls in the New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood. We visit the dynamic duo, who have moved their operation from a front porch pandemic project to a popular brick-and-mortar shop. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

In 1946, a New Orleans bar owner named Owen Brennan opened Brennan's Vieux Carré on Bourbon Street. Fresh out of high school, his sister Ella became his de facto manager there. Just before Owen's untimely death a few years later, plans were in place to move the restaurant to Royal Street, where the Brennan family dynasty truly began. Today, Brennan's Restaurant on Royal Street is grander than ever – all thanks to the loving care of Owen and Ella's nephew, Ralph Brennan. Named one of the 20 most influential restaurant people in the country by Restaurant Business Magazine, Ralph runs some of the city's finest dining destinations. There's Ralph's on the Park, Red Fish Grill, the Napoleon House and Café NOMA, just to name a few. On this week's show, we sit down with Ralph Brennan himself to discuss his life in food. Then, we speak with Braithe Tidwell, the corporate beverage director for the Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group. Braithe helped the wine program at Brennan's regain its status on the Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning list. Most recently, Braithe collaborated with Piper Heidsieck to create a bespoke Brennan's champagne. Next, we learn about Brennan's annual tradition of hosting the "Slowest Second Line on Earth," complete with ten terrific turtles and a rapping judge. Finally, we step inside Brennan's kitchen for an unforgettable breakfast. For their poached eggs alone, the restaurant goes through over half a million eggs each year. Executive Chef Ryan Hacker shows us how his team perfectly poaches hundreds of eggs at a time to feed crowds of hungry morning diners. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

The origins of our food and foodways are usually not well known and can sometimes be hard to track down. After all, how do you figure out the origins of something that’s been around for centuries? On this week’s show, we learn the history behind dishes that define our American cuisine and the traditions surrounding them. We begin with Dr. David Shields of the University of South Carolina. His book, "The Culinarians" explores the lives and careers of those who had a hand in creating the first age of American fine dining. Then, we find out whether whiskey is bourbon or bourbon whiskey? We’re joined by author and spirits historian Fred Minnick. He answers that question for us as well as who really taught Jack Daniel to distill. Next, we speak with Gabrielle Langholtz, author of "America: The Cookbook." Gabrielle’s encyclopedic tome explores our nation’s identity through the immigrant stories and recipes that created American food as we know it. Finally, we learn the history of Chinese restaurants in the U.S. with U.C. Irvine professor, Yong Chen. Chen's book, "Chop Suey, USA," follows the history of Chinese cuisine in America – from the first four restaurants in California during the Gold Rush, to the nearly 50 thousand Chinese restaurants found across the country today. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Summers in Louisiana tend to linger longer than elsewhere in the U.S., and for many locals, the heat is a perfect excuse to skip town for more exotic destinations. But for those of us who plan to stick around, there are plenty of ways to take a vacation without needing to pack a bag. On this week's show, we travel virtually to the French Riviera with New Orleans chef Samuel Peery. Finding inspiration from coastal brasseries in French cities like Nice and Marseille, Sam has created a menu at the Kimpton Hotel's King Brasserie that offers a taste of the Côte d'Azur only half a mile from the Mississippi River. Over at The Bell, a British-inspired pub in New Orleans' Mid-City neighborhood, locals can stop in for an ale or lager served in imperial pints – or dine in a room decked in tartan fabrics, dark woods, and Union Jack flags. Owner Andrew Bell tells us how he went from a career in professional soccer to become a British publican in the Pelican State. Finally, we get a behind-the-scenes look at Exhibition Hub's newest immersive exhibit in New Orleans. Titanic: An Immersive Voyage takes visitors back to 1912 to experience the ship as a passenger on its ill-fated maiden voyage. Executive producer John Zaller tells us about the exhibition and the important role food played on the luxury liner. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Although South Louisiana does not provide the easiest growing conditions, when fueled by passion and obsession, it's amazing what can be done. On this week's show, we introduce you to some real alternative thinkers who are successfully cultivating the unusual and the exotic. We begin with a trip to the SG Tiki Farm just across the state line in Pearlington, Mississippi. There, Chef Ernie Foundas grows exotic fruits and vegetables used in the dishes he serves at his restaurant in New Orleans' Bywater neighborhood, Suis Generis. With a passion for sustainability, both Ernie and his partner Adrienne Bell use every scrap of food to achieve a zero-waste model in their restaurant. Then, we head down to New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward to meet bamboo guru Mark Sanders – founder of Ninth Ward Nursery. He tells the story of turning his bamboo obsession into a business. Finally, get ready to see bamboo on your dinner plate. We chat with Kay Koppedrayer, author of Cooking With Bamboo, who shares how she came to make bamboo part of her family's diet and how you can do the same. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Each year in July, cocktailians by the tens of thousands descend on New Orleans for an industry convention unlike any other: Tales of the Cocktail. This week, we take you behind the scenes of the annual five-day event and meet some of the people you might run into there. We begin with Charlotte Voisey, who was just named Executive Director of the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. As a Tales participant since 2006, Charlotte has seen firsthand how the annual conference has grown over the years. She tells us about this year’s theme – "Evolve" – and how it applies to both the drinks industry and Tales itself. Next, we speak with Eric Seed, who has been called “the Indiana Jones of lost spirits.” He tells us about Haus Alpenz, his import company known for reviving obscure and rare liquors. Distiller Jackie Summers then introduces us to Sorel, a magical sip straight from the Caribbean islands. Finally, we learn what inspired Tim Etherington-Judge to found Healthy Hospo, an initiative that aims to make the hospitality industry a healthier and happier place. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Here in Louisiana, intergenerational cooking is a way of life. Who doesn't treasure their great grandmother's gumbo recipe or still use their mom's roasting pan? This week, we talk with two women of East Asian heritage whose families and cultures share that motherly love expressed through food. Local-girl-made-good, Chef Nini Nguyen, grew up among the large Vietnamese population in New Orleans and shot to national prominence on "Top Chef." Nini joins us to talk about her rise to fame, her family, and her publication, "Đặc Biệt: An Extra Special Vietnamese Cookbook," which was named cookbook of the year by NPR. Then, we hear from Sarah Ahn, the social media manager for America's Test Kitchen and creator of Ahnest Kitchen, the website on which she recounts stories of her life and those of her Korean immigrant parents. Sarah's also the author of, "Umma: A Korean Mom's Kitchen Wisdom and 100 Family Recipes." She tells us about her bestselling cookbook, which is also part family memoir and part cultural history. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

French culture holds a special place in Louisiana's heart, whether it's music, language, or food! On this week's show, we travel to France virtually and bring home a taste of their lifestyle and cuisine. We begin with Makenna Held, author of "Mostly French: Recipes from a Kitchen in Provence," which is both a cookbook and a chronicle of life in the French countryside, where she runs an innovative cooking school at Julia Child's former home. Then, James Beard Award-winning author Aleksandra Crapanzano lets us in on the sumptuous secrets of Parisian home bakers found in her book, "Gâteau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes." Next, we revisit our 2015 trip to Paris, when Paris By Mouth's Jennifer Greco introduced us to a charming charcuterie in the Marais called Caractère de Cochon, a play on words that means "pigheaded." Finally, we head back to New Orleans to speak with Dominique Rizzo of Celtica Bakery. The French-born chef moved here decades ago to share his passion for the food of his native country. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

A lot of magic can be made with nothing more than flour, sugar, and, of course, butter! On this week's show, we explore the magic that some folks are achieving with just that combination. First, we hear from Juliana Fernandes and Juliana Freire, the dynamic duo behind one of New Orleans' newest eateries, Juliana's Brazilian Bakery and Café. Playfully decorated in pastel pinks and greens, the cozy Lakeview neighborhood café features a pastry case brimming with beautiful cakes and Brazilian bonbons known as brigadeiros. The kitchen also offers a breakfast and lunch menu, including the Brazilian national beans and rice dish, feijoada. The two Julianas tell us all how their little Brazilian outpost came to be. Next, we chat with the affable Ralph the Baker, a local cook who has become an international social media sensation. He explains how he has built his online presence to include millions of followers and why he's the baker who almost never bakes. Finally, we learn about the little bakery that king cake built. Only a few years after Martha Gilreath achieved fame for her Nolita king cakes, she has opened up a brick-and-mortar bakery in New Orleans – selling items like bialys, boudin danish, and something called "cros'saints." We stop by her warm, sunny space, located just a few blocks from Bayou St. John in Mid-City. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

This month, as Louisiana Eats marks our 15th anniversary, we're relishing the opportunity to bring you some favorite moments from our archives. We begin with our 2011 interview with the late civil rights activist, Dr. Rudy Lombard. He talks about his role in the 1960 McCrory's lunch counter sit-in and what motivated him to write his seminal 1978 book, "Creole Feast." Then, we revisit our 2011 tribute to one of the chefs featured in that tome: Clarence "Buster" Holmes. British jazz drummer Barry Martyn and Chef Susan Spicer both share memories of their friend and mentor. Next, we hear again from the late Michael Mizell-Nelson, who spent his career studying the experience of working-class New Orleans. We bring you the second half of our streetcar ride with Michael in 2010, as he shares the history of public transportation during the era of Jim Crow. To end our show, we spotlight our 2011 conversation with local icon Mildred Covert, who taught the world how to cook Creole and Cajun while keeping kosher. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Louisiana Eats hit a major milestone last week – 15 years on the air. That's well over 500 episodes featuring somewhere around a thousand different voices! This week, we bring you three interviews from our archives that celebrate some late, great Louisiana legends. We begin with a tribute to Chef Paul Prudhomme, his wife Kay, and their lost French Quarter restaurant, K-Paul's. We revisit an unforgettable conversation we had with Sandy Hanson and her brother-in-law, Chef Frank Brigtsen, after Paul died in 2015. Both Sandy and Frank were K-Paul veterans from the restaurant's earliest days. They share memories of their time there and the profound impact both Kay and Paul had on their lives. Then, we bring you the voices of two late New Orleans TV icons. The first is broadcast pioneer Terry Flettrich Rohe. Those who grew up in the Crescent City in the 1950s may remember Terry as "Mrs. Muffin" on a WDSU-TV daily children's program that she hosted for almost a decade. She was also the producer and host of Midday, one of the network's most popular programs. The second is seafood magnate Al Scramuzza, who passed away in May at the age of 97. Al's comical and campy TV ads dominated the airwaves for decades – and each of them he wrote, produced, and starred in. But even before his commercials made him a household name, Al was combining his acumen for business and marketing to turn a profit. All the while, he played a major role in the mudbug's rise to culinary fame. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's show, we're celebrating the 15th anniversary of our show's debut! We've dug through our archives to bring you some of our favorite moments over the past decade and a half, with an emphasis on Louisiana culture and cuisine. The very first episode of Louisiana Eats broadcast on June 9, 2010. That year also marked the 125th anniversary of New Orleans' streetcar line. We look back at our very first field piece, when we took a streetcar ride with the late, great historian Michael Mizell-Nelson. Then, we revisit our conversation with Priestess Miriam Chamani, who presides over North Rampart Street's Voodoo Spiritual Temple. Next, we return to Pascal's Manale's oyster bar for a once-in-a-lifetime shucking experience with celebrity oyster shucker "Uptown T" Thomas Stewart, before wild man Joey Fonseca takes us on a virtual alligator hunt. Finally, we rediscover our 2014 field trip to Great Raft Brewing in Shreveport, where we learn all about what makes the flavor profile of craft beer in the Shreveport-Bossier area distinctive.

In 1983, the Louisiana legislature named crawfish as the official state crustacean. In 2008, they proclaimed the Sazerac as New Orleans' official cocktail. And on June 1, 2024, Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, proclaimed Blue Plate Mayonnaise to be the official mayo of poor boy sandwiches. On this week's show, we explore some other essential poor boy ingredients. We begin with the story of the first poor boy loaf ever baked from the inventor's grandson and great-grandson, John and Jason Gendusa. The Gendusa family bakery has been inextricably tied to that famous New Orleans sandwich since 1929. Next, Sandy Whann of Leidenheimer Baking Company shares the story of his family's bakery which dates back to 1896. We also speak with his son William Whann, who is carrying on the family business. Finally, we have a taste of Chisesi Brothers and hear the delicious story of their 100-plus year-old family history from fifth generation Nicholas Chisesi and his octogenarian dad, Philip. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On February 5th of this year, Steve Himelfarb, a longtime fixture in New Orleans' food scene and a true Renaissance man, passed away at the age of 61 following a battle with cancer. Kind, passionate, and endlessly creative, Steve took on many different roles in his life. He was by turns an acclaimed sound engineer, door-to-door cake salesman, café owner, king cake pioneer, teacher, and all-around community treasure. He was also our dear friend and colleague. Steve joined Louisiana Eats as a producer in 2022, working on this show over the last several years with his wife, Becky Retz. His contributions behind the scenes have been vital to what we do here. Over the years, Steve actually appeared on Louisiana Eats several times. In 2021, we interviewed Steve and Becky about the legacy of their beloved Marigny mainstay, Cake Café, and their love letter to diners: The Cake Café Cookbook. In 2023, Steve discussed how his specialty king cakes became a fundraising tradition at the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. On this week's show, we remember our friend by bringing you extended versions of these two conversations. We also speak with sound engineer and producer Lu Rojas, who shares stories of Steve's esteemed music career. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

With a unique history reaching back centuries, Louisiana is a state that lends itself to storytelling. On this week's show, we're joined by two historians to get the true stories behind some common myths and misconceptions. And sandwiched between them, we speak with two authors of historical fiction whose books make our state's past come alive. We begin with journalist and food historian Lolis Eric Elie, who talks about the true origins of New Orleans' Creole food, and the often-overlooked African contributions. Next, we speak with Elisa Speranza, author of "The Italian Prisoner." Elisa was inspired to write her debut novel after hearing stories of Italian POWs housed in New Orleans during World War II. After Italy switched sides in 1943, these former enemies became part of the American war effort and the city's makeup. Then, legendary Louisiana storyteller Glen Pitre joins us. He reveals the role that food plays in his historical novel, "Advice for the Wicked,” which takes place in Southern Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century. Finally, we hear the surprising true story behind New Orleans' classic confection, the praline, from culinary historian Rien Fertel. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

New Orleans began her love affair with coffee three centuries ago. Any local of a certain age can remember the grown-ups of their childhood spending hours around the kitchen table drinking a strong French roast blended with chicory. This week we sit down with a cup of coffee and some folks who can tell us the story of coffee in New Orleans. First, Patrick Brennan, of the famous Brennan restaurant clan, talks about leaving the family business to strike out on his own in the artisan coffee market. Patrick tells us about Congregation Coffee, his roasting business and Algiers Point neighborhood coffee shop. Next, we hear from Suzanne Stone and David Feldman, as we take a deep dive into their book, New Orleans Coffee: A Rich History. They tell the story of coffee in the Crescent City, which came to the forefront in the late 1700s. Finally, we chat with graphic artist Sharon Dunn Dinkins Dymond, who, in the 1970s, discovered a cache of 19th- and early 20th-century product labels that tell the tale of New Orleans’ early love affair with coffee. She reproduces the beautiful, chromolithographed labels on postcards and ceramic serving ware for her company, Fabled Labels. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.