Free series “Healing Traditions in Acadiana” discusses traiteurs, medicinal plants and much more

The Lafayette Parish Master Gardeners Association in partnership with the Vermilionville Living History Museum and Folklife Park invites the community to join their free series, Healing Traditions is Acadiana, continuing on Saturday, August 30 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. in Vermilionville’s Performance Center.

The Healing Traditions in Acadiana series aims to broaden local historical knowledge of healing practices in Acadiana by making the public aware of the need to preserve medicinal plants as well as the knowledge of their uses. This lecture series also serves as an introduction to the general public about the healing traditions of the Cajun and Creole peoples of the area as well as the need to preserve medicinal plants, as well as the knowledge of their uses.

The Jefferson Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. and the Louisiana Tourism Recovery Program present the Jefferson Parish Louisiana Oyster Trail. An  experience focusing on Jefferson Parish restaurants serving Louisiana Oysters!  Visitors and locals alike will experience the local flavor, as well as the flare of local artists' hand-painted sculptures depicting Jefferson Parish. 

New Orleans, LA – Thursday, May 8, 2014 – WYES recently closed out the 2013-2014 WYES SEASON OF GOOD TASTES coffee and wine pairing dinners with a total of 14 participating restaurants. Throughout the season, from August 2013 through April 2014, participating chefs are asked to participate in the Cooking with Community® Coffee Contest. Chefs were asked to use Community coffee as an ingredient in one or more of their courses. Each dinner guest is then asked to judge on presentation, taste, originality and creativity of coffee usage.

Applications are being accepted through May. To apply click here

Zagat did the survey. One of the top 20 here in New Orleans was Cochon Butcher

"A must if you dig the pig", Donald Link's "phenomenal" Warehouse District Cajun earns a resounding "oink" of approval and New Orleans' No. 1 Food score for its "daring", "decadent" sandwiches, "atypical" daily sides and "well-curated" wine list; the "small", "laid-back" space (right next to Cochon) has "squashed-together" seating and a "constant crowd", so "plan your time of attack carefully" or let the "ultrafriendly" staff send you home with "superb" charcuterie from the "hard-to-resist" deli case.

930 Tchoupitoulas St.; 504-588-7675

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. It is late this year and in fact the latest it can be. With a few days left for preparation here are some helpful pages that will remind you about food prep, cooking temperatures, getting the results you want and plenty more to browse. Whether you are cooking for a large crod or small gathering or even if you promised to bring a side dish to Grandmas you'll find something in these pages that will make your time in the kithchen more rewarding and less trouble.

Start with Susan's Turkey Tips, you'll find everything from how to safely thaw your turkey and clean and prep your bird to cooking times, what to do with left overs and much more. Give it a read.

Frying a turkey this Thanksgivng? Sounds great but where do you get rid of your used cooking oil? I have an easy answer for those of you who live in and around New Orleans. Whole Foods just sent me this notice.

Turkey grease recycling at Whole Foods Market

Friday, Nov. 29 through Friday, Dec. 6

The Whole Foods Market Arabella Station and Veterans stores have partnered with Louisiana Oilworks, a family owned and operated waste vegetable oil collection business located in Kenner, to recycle cooking oil used for frying turkeys during the Thanksgiving holiday. The cooking oil drive will produce eco-friendly biodiesel fuel, help reduce emissions, and keep oil and grease out of the drains.

Turkey Frying Oil Drop-Off, Friday, Nov. 29 through Friday, Dec. 6

WHERE:

It's oyster season and I have been looking forward to grilled oysters. I came across these stainless steel oyster shells. If you're like me and love grilled oysters these may be just what you're looking for. I haven't tried them yet but aim to just as soon as I can get down to a seafood market and buy already shucked  oysters. They are made right here in Louisiana:

Schwing's
SOS Oyster Shells
1204 West 21st Ave
Covington, LA

985.893.1899  Web Site

You can order on line 1 dozen stainless steel shells are $29.99. They say they are multi-use shells for grilling oysters, shrimp, chicken, veggies and more.

Here is their Oyster Char-Grilling recipe

One of our magazine subscribers out in California sent me this. I have never tried it and if fact never even heard of this possibility but our reader assure me it works every time.

Thanks To Stephanie in Redondo Beach, CA for the tip.

Food & Wine picked the best chicken wings in America and Nola here in New Orleans made the cut. Read who else made the finals here Chef Emeril Lagasse said he so dearly loved the wings a Vietnamese cook once made for him at NOLA that he put them on the restaurant’s menu in 2000 and hasn’t taken them off. The wings are stuffed with a mixture of ground pork, chopped shrimp, mushrooms, onions, celery, cilantro and fish sauce.