Louisiana Cuisine

[NCB]

I see your point. I just happen to be very picky about my food, in particular vegetables.

I completely understand that, because I'm the same way. I'm especially picky about New Orleans and Louisiana cuisine. While I love other types of food, I'm still picky with what I get in other cities that's supposed to be "gumbo" or "ettoufe" or something like that. While there are many different restaurant 's I've been to in other cities(all Southern) that did have some good New Orleans style food, most places I've been to didn't. Even while some places have some good New Orleans-esque food, you have to come to the city to really experience the good stuff.

[NCB]

I'm pretty sure we haven't talked about this original New Orleans dish, the Muffuletta.

I've honestly got to say that the Muffelata is my favorite sandwich in the world. There is so much flavor, from the meats, to the cheese's, and of course, the olive salad. That, and the history of that sandwich is very interesting. It's high on the list of New Orleans' native dishes, and it is one of the major staples that the large influx of Italian and Sicilian immigrants in New Orleans in the late 1880's-early 1900's left on the city.

From Wikipedia:

The Muffuletta is a type of Sicilian bread, as well as a sandwich in New Orleans, Louisiana, which is made with that bread.

The muffuletta sandwich originated in 1906 at Central Grocery, which was operated by Salvatore Lupo, a Sicilian immigrant. The sandwich is popular with city natives and visitors, and has been described as "one of the great sandwiches of the world." Central Grocery still serves the sandwich using the original recipe. Other variations are served throughout the city. The locals have differing opinions on which shop serves the best muffuletta.

A typical muffuletta consists of one muffuletta loaf, split horizontally. The loaf is then covered with a marinated olive salad, then layers of capicola, salami, mortadella, emmantaler, and provolone. The sandwich is sometimes heated through to soften the provolone.

The olive salad is considered the heart of the sandwich, and consists primarily of olives, along with celery, cauliflower, and carrot. The ingredients are combined, seasonings are added, covered in olive oil and allowed to combine for at least 24 hours. Prepared olive salad for muffulettas can also be bought by the jar in New Orleans grocery stores.

A Muffelatta is very large, it's is big enough to feed at least two people. This is only 1/4 of a full Muffelatta, a bit larger than a normal sized sandwich on a loaf of bread.

^A Muffelatta from Central Grocery

[TSmith]

About once a month, I get a muffuletta from Central Grocery. It's the perfect ratio of olive salad to meat and cheese. Not too much olive oil, and the bread is just perfect. DiMartino's has great a muffuletta, but a little heavier on the olive salad, and the bread is tasted, and it is served warm. They're different, but both are excellent.

[NCB]

About once a month, I get a muffuletta from Central Grocery. It's the perfect ratio of olive salad to meat and cheese. Not too much olive oil, and the bread is just perfect. DiMartino's has great a muffuletta, but a little heavier on the olive salad, and the bread is tasted, and it is served warm. They're different, but both are excellent.

Oh yes, excellent indeed. I prefer Central Grocery's muffulatta, but DiMartino's is in no way a bad choice either.

When I was a little kid, every friday I would be allowed to walk from my house Orleans Street over to Central Grocery on Decatur, and buy a whole muffulatta, which would take me at least the rest of the weekend to finish. That's one of my favorite memories of growing up in the Quarter.

Here's another picture of a muffulatta from Central Grocery

[Mith242]

Interesting I've never heard of a muffulatta before. It sounds interesting but I think I'd be too picky to get past the olive salad. Nice pics by the way.

[NCB]

Interesting I've never heard of a muffulatta before. It sounds interesting but I think I'd be too picky to get past the olive salad. Nice pics by the way.

Hey, you can still scrape it off! The olive salad really adds alot of great flavor to the sandwich, but alot of that flavor is captured in the bread after it soaks in some of the juices from the olive salad, so it can still taste great without the olive salad.

[breaux]

Hey, you can still scrape it off! The olive salad really adds alot of great flavor to the sandwich, but alot of that flavor is captured in the bread after it soaks in some of the juices from the olive salad, so it can still taste great without the olive salad.

I'd take a fried anything po-boy over a muffaletta any day, but I don't like green olives too much.

They're good, but not my favorite.

And BTW, order half of one and you'll still have way too much.

[NCB]

And BTW, order half of one and you'll still have way too much.

Haha, you bet. A full muffuletta is just massive, and even 1/4 of a full one will keep you full for a lonnggg time.

[dimebag1980]

Oh yes, excellent indeed. I prefer Central Grocery's muffulatta, but DiMartino's is in no way a bad choice either.

When I was a little kid, every friday I would be allowed to walk from my house Orleans Street over to Central Grocery on Decatur, and buy a whole muffulatta, which would take me at least the rest of the weekend to finish. That's one of my favorite memories of growing up in the Quarter.

Here's another picture of a muffulatta from Central Grocery

Mmmmm.... I wants me one. Last one I had was from a place called Papa's in Shreveport and it was nasty.

[Mith242]

Sorry, a bit off topic here, but I may soon have better access to fresh seafood from Louisiana. Apparently there was a seafood market in Springdale just to the north of Fayetteville. It has been recently bought out by a couple that run the Cafe Rue Orleans here in Fayetteville. It sounds like they are planning on mainly keeping it the same but adding a touch of 'Orleans' to it. I still won't have access to much on what is down there but at least I will have a little bit more access than what I did.

[NCB]

Sorry, a bit off topic here, but I may soon have better access to fresh seafood from Louisiana. Apparently there was a seafood market in Springdale just to the north of Fayetteville. It has been recently bought out by a couple that run the Cafe Rue Orleans here in Fayetteville. It sounds like they are planning on mainly keeping it the same but adding a touch of 'Orleans' to it. I still won't have access to much on what is down there but at least I will have a little bit more access than what I did.

Sounds great! Let us know what they have, and you can count on some recomendations!

BTW, this just caught my attention, do you think "Cafe Rue Orleans" up there is named after Orleans St. in the French Quarter? The official name of the street is "Rue D' Orleans."

[Mith242]

Probably, or at least they just liked the name. I get the impression they do have some ties to New Orleans.

[NCB]

Probably, or at least they just liked the name. I get the impression they do have some ties to New Orleans.

Interesting. I wonder how they're tied to NOLA.

[Mith242]

Interesting. I wonder how they're tied to NOLA.

I'm not positive but I think they're either related to someone down there or maybe have lived down there at some point.

[NCB]

I'm not positive but I think they're either related to someone down there or maybe have lived down there at some point.

Oh ok, that's what I was guessing. I'm glad they're able to bring a little piece of New Orleans up to NWA then, even if it's not the same as coming down to New Orleans and experiencing everything first hand.

[Mith242]

I thought of something today. Is Rotel very big in Louisiana? I'm also wondering if there's muich of a difference between northern and southern Louisiana. I know it's real big here in Arkansas and Texas. I also think it's somewhat popular in Oklahoma. I was wondering since Louisiana is also in the same area. Although you guys do have quite a bit of different cuisine than the rest of us.

[dimebag1980]

I thought of something today. Is Rotel very big in Louisiana? I'm also wondering if there's muich of a difference between northern and southern Louisiana. I know it's real big here in Arkansas and Texas. I also think it's somewhat popular in Oklahoma. I was wondering since Louisiana is also in the same area. Although you guys do have quite a bit of different cuisine than the rest of us.

I love Ro-Tel. Anytime there's a party, someone's making a Ro-Tel dip!

[Mith242]

I love Ro-Tel. Anytime there's a party, someone's making a Ro-Tel dip!

I had a feeling it would be found at least in northern Louisiana. Now I'm cruous to see if it's in southern Louisiana as well. By the way nice to see you Brain. I haven't seen much of you lately.

[dimebag1980]

I had a feeling it would be found at least in northern Louisiana. Now I'm cruous to see if it's in southern Louisiana as well. By the way nice to see you Brain. I haven't seen much of you lately.

Definitely, it's pretty common around here. And yes, there are some major differences between north and south Louisiana cuisine, even though you do still find a lot of Cajun and Creole foods here. It's just that this area has a good mix of Texas and Louisiana flavor. Northeast Louisiana (around Monroe) is pretty-much the same as it is here.

Thanks, Rod, it's good to be here as always. Work has just been very demanding since I got back from vacation. I've been working more solidly throughout the day, and going to bed much earlier at night just so I can be back here refreshed in the mornings.

I hope to be back at full-speed soon. I also hope to start taking photos again soon. I'm working my way through my new digital photography book, so I hope to learn some good tricks.

[breaux]

Well, I didn't make it, but I tried some etouffee made with cream of mushroom soup and it was pretty good, though I would say I prefer it without. To me it takes away from the flavors of the smothered vegetables and crawfish.

[Mith242]

Definitely, it's pretty common around here. And yes, there are some major differences between north and south Louisiana cuisine, even though you do still find a lot of Cajun and Creole foods here. It's just that this area has a good mix of Texas and Louisiana flavor. Northeast Louisiana (around Monroe) is pretty-much the same as it is here.

Thanks, Rod, it's good to be here as always. Work has just been very demanding since I got back from vacation. I've been working more solidly throughout the day, and going to bed much earlier at night just so I can be back here refreshed in the mornings.

I hope to be back at full-speed soon. I also hope to start taking photos again soon. I'm working my way through my new digital photography book, so I hope to learn some good tricks.

Yeah I know it can be going back to work after you've been on vacation. Seems like you need at least the amount of time you took off to get things back on schedule. Looking forward to seeing your pics and what you are picking up from your book. I've learned a few things just from taking a look at pics here on UP.

[dimebag1980]

Yeah I know it can be going back to work after you've been on vacation. Seems like you need at least the amount of time you took off to get things back on schedule. Looking forward to seeing your pics and what you are picking up from your book. I've learned a few things just from taking a look at pics here on UP.

I wish just looking at photos could help me to learn, but one of the biggest things I'm trying to find out is if there's a good way to shoot against a light source such as the sun. I probably could have asked you that directly, but I hate to bug people with silly questions. But since I have your attention.... !?

I have some photos from Hot Springs that would have turned out great, but I was aiming against the sun. I tried to keep the sun and its glare out of the photos, but in many cases I just couldn't get my angle right.

I hate to take this off-topic, so if you want to avoid that, you could answer my question in the 'Lagniappe' thread. Or a simple PM would work, but who knows who else you might help by posting it on the forum.

[Mith242]

I wish just looking at photos could help me to learn, but one of the biggest things I'm trying to find out is if there's a good way to shoot against a light source such as the sun. I probably could have asked you that directly, but I hate to bug people with silly questions. But since I have your attention.... !?

I have some photos from Hot Springs that would have turned out great, but I was aiming against the sun. I tried to keep the sun and its glare out of the photos, but in many cases I just couldn't get my angle right.

I hate to take this off-topic, so if you want to avoid that, you could answer my question in the 'Lagniappe' thread. Or a simple PM would work, but who knows who else you might help by posting it on the forum.

I just sent a PM, although thatw as before I read the whole post here. Oh well if anyone has any photo questions feel free to ask.

[TSmith]

Well, I didn't make it, but I tried some etouffee made with cream of mushroom soup and it was pretty good, though I would say I prefer it without. To me it takes away from the flavors of the smothered vegetables and crawfish.

NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Gotta use GOLDEN mushroom soup! Cream of mushroom... that must have been weird.

[Mith242]

I thought of something today. Is Rotel very big in Louisiana? I'm also wondering if there's muich of a difference between northern and southern Louisiana. I know it's real big here in Arkansas and Texas. I also think it's somewhat popular in Oklahoma. I was wondering since Louisiana is also in the same area. Although you guys do have quite a bit of different cuisine than the rest of us.

Wanted to move this back up since it got lost a little. Just curious if anyone in southern Louisiana has any info on this.