Most of my city food tours and business trips begin the same way. Fortunately, my first trip to New Orleans would begin quite different for me, because this time I would travel and eat with family. This past summer I flew into St. Louis early in the day to catch up with a great friend and local restaurateur, Craig Stenson. Craig and his chefs have created a couple of great restaurants beginning with award winning Onesto and their newsest concept, Mad Tomato in Clayton, MO. While seated in Craig's office, we chowed on homemade cured meats, olives and hummus served on wood planks straight out of the oven. (My kind of office food) After catching up on old times including great restaurant stories and a tour of the newly remodeled kitchen, I hit the road to Sikeston, MO. to pick up my father.
The McDonough's have always been early morning road warriors and this trip would follow that same tradition. We woke around 4:30 making coffee, showering and loading the road trippin' snacks and food intangibles.
We picked up my cousin Tommy just outside of Memphis and fueled ourselves up at Cracker Barrel (yes, I said Cracker Barrel - I'm a southern gentleman) in true road trip fashion. Marianne, Tommy's wife, joined us for breakfast. Unfortunately she could not join the road trip because of a breast cancer fundraiser. We're hoping she will join us for the next trip. Now that we had filled our bellies and said our good-byes, we were off to New Orleans. I haven’t spent much time with my cousin Tommy over the last twenty years, except for a week in Jamaica that I don't need to send out into the blogosphere. I was really excited to catch-up wih Tommy and more importantly I was ready to hear the great stories, tales and craziness that only he can tell. Hour after hour Tommy had us laughing and cracking up with stories that can only be explained as pure redneck fun.
Our first stop in New Orleans was a great Boho coffee house. I just wanted coffee at this point and was pleasantly surprised at what we found. We also visited the famous Rue De La Course which uses the traditional cold brewing method for their iced coffee. Dear mother of Juan Valdez we hit the jack pot on this stop. Two iced coffees and a vanilla latte and we were off to some sight seeing. My father and his wife Liz are in New Orleans several times a year and my father was excited to show me his favorite streets lined with great big ass oak trees which are really old and majestically beautiful. He also could not wait to take me to eat his favorite Po-Boy. After an hour or so we were ready to get out of the Jeep, check in to the hotel and do some meandering on foot. There are few things better than great hook ups and this trip was an exception because it was filled with family hook-ups. I felt, for the first time in a while, at the mercy of my family for filling the trip with great food and accommodations. I’m not by any means a control freak, but when it comes to traveling, eating and fun I have a tendency not to leave things to chance. I spend way too much time researching and planning and finding out the behind the scene stories about places and people in the cities I travel to. I vote with my dollar and are very careful where I spend my money and try to only support folks that get the whole picture. Folks like Mike & Liz at The Cupcake Lab in Saratoga Springs, NY., Bill & Nic of BN Ranch in Bolinas, CA. and so on.
The McDonough's have always been early morning road warriors and this trip would follow that same tradition. We woke around 4:30 making coffee, showering and loading the road trippin' snacks and food intangibles.
We picked up my cousin Tommy just outside of Memphis and fueled ourselves up at Cracker Barrel (yes, I said Cracker Barrel - I'm a southern gentleman) in true road trip fashion. Marianne, Tommy's wife, joined us for breakfast. Unfortunately she could not join the road trip because of a breast cancer fundraiser. We're hoping she will join us for the next trip. Now that we had filled our bellies and said our good-byes, we were off to New Orleans. I haven’t spent much time with my cousin Tommy over the last twenty years, except for a week in Jamaica that I don't need to send out into the blogosphere. I was really excited to catch-up wih Tommy and more importantly I was ready to hear the great stories, tales and craziness that only he can tell. Hour after hour Tommy had us laughing and cracking up with stories that can only be explained as pure redneck fun.
Our first stop in New Orleans was a great Boho coffee house. I just wanted coffee at this point and was pleasantly surprised at what we found. We also visited the famous Rue De La Course which uses the traditional cold brewing method for their iced coffee. Dear mother of Juan Valdez we hit the jack pot on this stop. Two iced coffees and a vanilla latte and we were off to some sight seeing. My father and his wife Liz are in New Orleans several times a year and my father was excited to show me his favorite streets lined with great big ass oak trees which are really old and majestically beautiful. He also could not wait to take me to eat his favorite Po-Boy. After an hour or so we were ready to get out of the Jeep, check in to the hotel and do some meandering on foot. There are few things better than great hook ups and this trip was an exception because it was filled with family hook-ups. I felt, for the first time in a while, at the mercy of my family for filling the trip with great food and accommodations. I’m not by any means a control freak, but when it comes to traveling, eating and fun I have a tendency not to leave things to chance. I spend way too much time researching and planning and finding out the behind the scene stories about places and people in the cities I travel to. I vote with my dollar and are very careful where I spend my money and try to only support folks that get the whole picture. Folks like Mike & Liz at The Cupcake Lab in Saratoga Springs, NY., Bill & Nic of BN Ranch in Bolinas, CA. and so on.
I did little to no research on New Orleans and given that I have never visited this city, I was very proud of myself. I have wanted to visit Cochon for several years now and that would be my one vote if allowed. I might have had a break through in my culinary control issues, because New Orleans has an incredible food scene and the art and music is non stop. Tommy hooked us up with accommodations at the Historical Chateau Lemoyne in the famous French Quarter . The hotel is ran by Kathleen Young, a family friend who is the salt of the earth and truly a N'awlins girl who loves her city with pride only a fellow Southerner can understand. We checked and then went walking down all of the major streets in the French Quarter. There were great art shops and boutiques tucked into every nook of every building. I was really blown away and felt like a kid with A.D.H.D. that hasn't taken his Adderall for the day.
Another amazing thing about N'awlins is that my step-bro Chris has lived there for over 14 years and has managed to meet and know a lot of good folks that run some of the best spots. So, my only request of him was get us into Cochon and to my surprise he was able to. I really didn't think that we had a chance of getting in mainly because of my last minute request followed by the International Food Blogging Convention in the city at the same time as our visit. Totally coincidental, but the good thing was that a great foodie friend that blogs was in town.
As I walked through the door I was immediately was drawn to the draft of wood firing in the oven tinted with roasting goodness. I'm really big on aroma and can leave a place very quickly if I'm not feelin' the whole scent factor. A big kudo for Cochon's commitment to local southern fare using lots of local farmers, but also to their commitment to quality and using folks that put sustainability above all else.
Another amazing thing about N'awlins is that my step-bro Chris has lived there for over 14 years and has managed to meet and know a lot of good folks that run some of the best spots. So, my only request of him was get us into Cochon and to my surprise he was able to. I really didn't think that we had a chance of getting in mainly because of my last minute request followed by the International Food Blogging Convention in the city at the same time as our visit. Totally coincidental, but the good thing was that a great foodie friend that blogs was in town.
As I walked through the door I was immediately was drawn to the draft of wood firing in the oven tinted with roasting goodness. I'm really big on aroma and can leave a place very quickly if I'm not feelin' the whole scent factor. A big kudo for Cochon's commitment to local southern fare using lots of local farmers, but also to their commitment to quality and using folks that put sustainability above all else.
Our first course began with a side of cracklings with molasses, smoked ribs w/ pickled watermelon rinds, Spicy boiled peanuts, Oysters and Smoked ham hocks over red beans and rice. The cracklings were actually chicharrons and they were perfect in every way. We dipped them in molasses it really added a sweetness to the airy crunchiness like I have never had before. The smoked ribs had the perfect amount of smoke but could have been a touch more tender. The pickled watermelon rinds stole the show. The boiled peanuts were spicy and took me personally back to when I was a kid driving through Georgia and Alabama on vacation to the Florida panhandle.
We had three entrees but for the life of me I can only remember two because they were not memorable. The Braised briske was melt in your mouth good and we were devouring it like someone was going to take it away from me. The Ham hocks were the best I have ever eaten, but little can be written about the disappointing red beans and rice. Now, if you know me well you don't need to ask if I ordered dessert. Tommy Leaunx sent out the biggest plate of desserts in Louisiana and we were congratulated by the waitstaff on our success. Overall Cochon was amazing, but the food is where the experience stopped because too many times when great chefs open restaurants they seem to get a little relaxed on the service. Our server was nice and funny, but not a well trained young lady.
I never unstood the real draw to N'awlins but now after spending a couple of days there I will be back. Come back soon for another recap on my Big Easy Adventure
