One more sleep...

Updates from our home away from home starting this Thursday! YAY Nola!

Recipe: Lenny's Louisiana Hot Sauce

I used to be very vanilla when it came to spice in my food. Mild, baby. It had to be M - I - L - D. Somewhere along the way, due to a combination of age, the expansion of my palette and all the time we spend in New Orleans I developed a serious hot sauce habit. It brings me so much pleasure. The initial kick, the way it heightens the other flavours, the weird buzz you get minutes after eating it. It's the best.

This year I decided to try and make my own homemade hot sauce for some Christmas Gifts for friends and family. I like giving gifts from my kitchen and considering all the sweets we all get this time of year, I thought I'd go in the other direction and bring the spice!

Never having made my own hot sauce before I perused Pinterest for recipes. There are so many ways you can go with hot sauce. Some really complex layered flavours. I was surprised to see one recipe that included carrots! None of them were really what I was after; I didn't have time to ferment anything and the flavour I was hoping to achieve was something really simple, with heavy vinegar overtones. There's this hot sauce you find in New Orleans called Crystal, it costs less than a dollar for a little bottle of it and the flavours are simple and bright...basically just Cayenne Peppers and Vinegar, it's pretty mild too, which is a good thing if you're giving it as a gift.

This non-recipe-recipe from The New York Times sounded like it would fit the bill perfectly. Here it is with my modifications:

What you'll need:

Cayenne Peppers (about a dozen, maybe more)

White Vinegar

Salt

Directions:

1) Wash and trim the peppers (leave in the seeds)

2) Put into food processor or blender

3) Submerge Peppers in Vinegar

4) Add about 1 tbsp of Salt

5) Blend until smooth

6) Transfer the sauce to a pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently (avoid getting the fumes in your eyes because...ouch)

7) Let sauce cool in pot

8) Run cooled sauce through a sieve 

9) Funnel into bottles and refrigerate 

Keep refrigerated, shake before use and expect it to last a month or so.

The good news? This tastes JUST like Crystal.

I created this label for it, to make it look more official :)

Lenny was very happy to have her name right there on the label. Ever the entrepreneur she thinks we should open a shop to sell the stuff. Or, at least see if we can sell it at a Farmer's Market. I fully expect this child to have 3 or 4 functioning businesses by the time she's 10 years old.

Let me know if you try this recipe, or if you have a go-to hot sauce recipe that you'd like to share!

Remembering Allen Toussaint

I took these photos at a performance Allen Toussaint gave at the Toronto Jazz Festival in 2010. I last saw him not performing, but attending Satchmo Summer Fest this past August. He looked to be in excellent health, was as stylish and charming as ever. So sad he had to leave us this soon.

New Orleans and the music community will feel this loss acutely. Listening to the tunes helps though, doesn't it?

Two indisputable classics:





Getting all funky on some Guaraldi in 1970:



Schooling us on Professor Longhair on the BBC in the mid 80's:



Allen and Elvis, Ascension Day (live):

New Orleans: through the fog

Our first week back in New Orleans has been foggy and rainy.  It sounds silly, but my favourite thing about being here is just being here.  I've been inspired to get out and take some pictures again.  I'm finding myself drawn to bits of shine.  I've been embracing a muted colour palate and I've loved hunting for unique signage and fonts.

When 10 months away feels like 10 months too many.

It took 16 hours longer than we expected, and a surprise sleepover in Washington, but this week we went from one extreme to the other.  

Oh, New Orleans. It's so good to be back.

Just a few of my favourite sights from our first few hours back.

Till Next Time, New Orleans.

You should have heard the bounce music blasting from this school bus.  Only in the 504.

Our month in New Orleans has come to an end.  Re-entry into our Toronto life can be a real bitch, but today I'm getting caught up on some work at my favourite Starbucks office and am about to go down to the beach to remind myself of one of the non-family/friends/healthcare reasons I actually love living here.  When I'm under the spell of Nola it's easy to forget sometimes.

My hair is definitely cooperating more without all that humidity.  That's something I guess.

New Orleans Stories: James

We arrived in New Orleans last night and are starting to settle in.  After having been here, we think, 9 or 10 times in the last 8 years (is that even right?) it no longer feels like arriving somewhere new, or like a vacation at all.  It's a sort of homecoming.  Especially after last year when we got to stay for a month. And now, we're back for another month.  The possibilities are endless and exciting.  Equally pleasing, if less exciting, is slipping into our routine.  Nights in with Lenny, long afternoon walks in the French Quarter, cooking our own food, and yes, buying wine at the corner drug store.  I'm Canadian. What do you want from me?  It's still a thrill.

Today I slipped away to spend an hour alone at the French Market just to enjoy the warmth (again, Canadian, what do you want, etc) and there I met James.

His opener was: Have you heard of Hurricane Katrina?

I gave him a "do I look dumb?" look and we both started laughing and high fived.

James told me he got evacuated to Arizona after the storm.  "Don't no black people want to go to no Arizona" he said. So he relocated to...wait for it...Vancouver.  

The Canadians were generous, he said.  One night, he was panhandling (his word) outside a Canucks game and the offers of Canadian money came rolling in.  He said he wasn't sure it would be worth it.  Maybe Canadian money would be a lousy exchange, like Mexican money.  But, who was he to turn down the offers?  It turned out lucky.  He got 98 cents on the dollar and made $700 in one night, because the Canucks beat the L.A. Kings and it was a big game.  Or something.  Hockey talk makes me glaze over.  

I implored him to talk about the Saints or the Yankees or the Raptors but he said he only followed hockey after his time in Vancouver.  The Yankee cap and Lakers jersey were gifts.

Him:  Where are you from?

Me:  Toronto.

Him:  In Canada?

Me: That's the one.

Him:  AND YOU DON'T LIKE HOCKEY?

Me:  I've tried...I just...it's...no.

Him: Girl, that's just sad.

Me: Go Raptors?

Him: What?

Me:  Never mind.

I should have told him how excited I was not to be wearing a jacket and that I was looking forward to buying some wine at the drug store.  Maybe that would have gotten me some Canadian street cred.

Monday Motivation

This Thursday morning I'll be waking up and having coffee in New Orleans.  And I get to stay there for a month. Sometimes, my good fortune astounds me.  This quote from John Goodman resonates (the photo is from a 2009 trip to Nola).

We get to do this because we work within a budget and still work while we're down there.  Again, how fortunate.  I've been freelancing since October 2012 and have been fully self employed for a year now. Being completely responsible for your own success or lack of success can be harsh.  Waiting for certain clients to pay their bills can be excruciating.  Realizing you're not cut out for a particular gig is a hard pill to swallow.  But the freedom and the sense of accomplishment are second to none.  That said, it's the sense of possibility that really keeps me going.  That's what really motivates me, Monday and every day.

We're Back!

It's nice to be home.  Whenever we cross back over the Canadian border and the roads are smoother and cleaner and the street lights are brighter and the traffic lights aren't blowing in the wind...I breathe a sigh of relief.  But re-entry is hard too, you guys.  I'm cold. And it's June.

It's going to take me a while to digest this trip.  I feel like living in New Orleans for a month, as a family, after all these years of vacationing there will have a profound impact on the way I think about and do some things in my life.  I don't mean to sound grand about it, but there are definitely some paradigm shifts going on.  More on that later.  I need to go drink a vat of water and moisturize every damn inch of my body.  In addition to being cold, Toronto is dry.  But she's home, too, so I guess I'll have to forgive her.

Dispatch from Nola

There's only one week left in our four week adventure here in New Orleans and I'm starting to feel sentimental about leaving already.  I'm going to miss hearing the sound of the pick up brass band on the corner in our living room, Lenny asking to go dance in Jackson Square and most of all, the people.  It always takes me a few days to acclimatize when we come down here.  Not to the heat, but to the Southern Hospitality.  To people always saying hello to you when you walk down the street.

You have to understand.  I'm from Toronto.  This is not something that I'm used to.

Living here is not without challenges.  On the contrary.  But there's something that keeps people here.  What keeps me coming back, as much as love the surroundings, the history, the music and the food is the people.

They are what makes this place so special.

Happy Mardi Gras

I'm celebrating by sharing some of my favourite New Orleans photos over at the newly redesigned Tracey Nolan Studios website!

Five ways to turn your Superbowl Party into a SuperGras Party

The Superbowl is one of those sporting events that even non-sports fans can get on board with.  Who doesn't like hanging out, drinking beer and eating chilli?  Personally, I really get on board when the Saints are playing but even though Who Dat? nation didn't have the best season this year we get to celebrate because Nola is hosting!  Any excuse to infuse a little of my home-away-from-home into my daily life! 

Read on for my tips to bring a little of the Big Easy to your easy chair this Sunday while you watch the big game!

1.  Tunes

Sure, the game is on, but if I were you, I'd turn the sound down and crank some of these Mardi Gras classics up.

James "Sugarboy" Crawford - Jock-O-Mo 

Professor Longhair - Big Chief

Louis Armstrong - King of the Zulus

The Dixie Cups - Iko Iko

The Meters - Mardi Gras Mambo

Kermit Ruffins and The Rebirth Brass Band - Mardi Gras Day

Now that I've got you started go find some Dr. John, some Fats Domino and some Harry Connick Jr. or just tune into the best radio station in the world, WWOZ.  They've got you covered.

2.  Cocktails

Pat O'Brien's Bar introduced the Hurricane at the 1939 World's Fair in New Orleans.  It's said that O'Brien created the cocktail as a means to get rid of the large amounts of rum his Southern distributors forced him to buy.  

Ingredients:

2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
Juice of a half a lime
1 Tbsp simple syrup
1 Tbsp grenadine
Orange slice and cherry for garnish

Preparation:

Squeeze juice from half a lime into cocktail shaker over ice. Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.

3.  Eats

The options are endless, but a great #SuperGras party wouldn't be complete without Fried Chicken and Red Beans & Rice (feel free to go to Popeye's) and then filter all of your domestic energy into making these homemade Pralines - this great recipe is courtesy The New Orleans School of Cooking.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 

3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed 

1/2 cup milk 6 tablespoons butter 

1 1/2 cups pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a “softball stage” (238-240 degrees F), stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

2. Stir until mixture thickens (again stirring constantly), becomes creamy and cloudy, and pecans stay suspended in mixture. Spoon out on buttered waxed paper, aluminum foil or parchment paper. When using waxed paper, be sure to buffer with newspaper underneath, as hot wax will transfer to whatever is beneath.

Note: To roast pecans, bake them on a sheet pan at 275 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, until slightly browned and fragrant.

Options: Praline sauce (add 1/2 cup corn syrup to mixture). Chocolate covered praline candy. Flavored pralines (chocolate, coffee, brandy, etc.)

Makes 1-50 pralines depending on size

4.  Activities

Crafts are a great way to keep the youngsters in your crowd occupied while you try to catch the half time show. Everyone needs a mask at Mardi Gras, so why not decorate some for #SuperGras?  You could cut some football shaped masks out of construction paper or go ahead and print out these great free printable masks available at the website Family Shopping Bag.

via Family Shopping Bag

5.  Finishing Touches

These wee cupcake toppers and flags would be equally at home on desserts as they would sliders, Muffulettas or other finger foods.  All you need is a colour printer, some toothpicks and some tape. 

Click here to download these super cute cupcake toppers from the good folks at Pizzazzerie

Pizzazzerie has also made these adorable Mardi Gras flags available for free here.

Last but not least, beads, beads, BEADS! As many as you can get your hands on to wear and share!

Lenny, after her first New Orleans parade, April 2011

Check out my Mardi Gras board on Pinterest for more inspiration!  Happy #SuperGras!

Your Daily Louis

On this date in 1930, Louis Armstrong became the first jazz musician to tackle what would become one of the all-time great standards, Body and Soul.  Have a listen.  There's nobody like Louis.

Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue

Every time I see Shorty live I can't help but think of his appearance on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.  His skill and versatility is so off the charts...and he's only 25 years old! You just know this is just the beginning for him.

 

The Soul Rebels

The Soul Rebels killed it last night at the Opera House.  What a treat to have the 416 feel like the 504, if only for a couple of hours.

Lenny takes New Orleans!

The Robeau grabbed this one with his Blackberry.  Lenny with some of her Easter Parade loot on a stoop in Marginy.   

Lenny insists on carrying our doggie bag from Delmonica - it's almost as big as her!

Dancing in Jackson Square

New Orleans Food in Pictures

I won't be able to provide my weekly recap of Top Chef Canada on time this week seeing as I'm not in Canada.  Foiled again!  In the meantime, since I'm here in New Orleans I thought it only appropriate to share some culinary-type photos with you that I've taken on past trips here.  If I could exist on Beignets alone I'd be a happy girl.

Chefs on a smoke break, 2008

Coffee and Chicory at Court of the Two Sisters, 2011

Cafe du Monde Beignets, 2010 

Eggs Benny Po Boy at Stanley, 2011

Hurricane at The Old Coffee Pot, 2011

Red Beans and Rice at The Old Coffee Pot, 2011