The repeal of Prohibition occurred at 4:31 p.m., December 5, 1933.  Marking the end of this really bad idea, Franklin D. Roosevelt made one the greatest understatements ever uttered by an American President, “What America needs now is a drink.”

The Volstead Act, generally known as the 18^th Amendment, was ratified on January 16, 1919.  Basically it prohibited the manufacture, sale, transportation, or importation of intoxicating liquors; interestingly enough, the consumption thereof was not.  When Utah ratified the 21^st Amendment 79 years ago today, it was the final state needed for the three-quarters majority to repeal prohibition.

Need a brief respite from this season of pleasurable excess and over-indulgence?  Escape to Wizard World New Orleans Comic Con 2012 this weekend at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.

While I am disappointed that my favorite redhead FBI agent, Dana Scully (a.k.a. Gillian Anderson) will be unable to attend, there are many highlights on the menu.  Taking in the culture of the Big Easy this weekend will be Eliza Dushku, seven members of the Star Trek: The Next Generation cast, and Comics Legend Stan Lee.  While TNG featured a great deal of musical culture – for a science fiction series – there have been no confirmed reports of  musical performances by Commander Riker (Jonathan Frakes) or Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner).

Here is what Google has to say.

Louisiana leads in Google searches for ambrosia recipes.

Here's a couple I found in our database.

Coconut Layer Cake with Ambrosia Filling

Louisiana Ambrosia

Fried turkey is growing every year in popularity; the search term "how to fry a turkey" is most popular in South Carolina, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama.

"Wine with turkey" is most popular in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Colorado.

Jennifer Abbot over at NOLA DEFENDER writes about the German influence in German communities close to New Orleans.
Andouille's German Ancestry, as Traced By John Besh, Donald Link & Wayne Schexnayder

It’s Oktoberfest time, and there's no better season to remember that New Orleans’ German immigrants made important contributions to some of our most cherished food traditions. Among the highest on that list are andouille and sausage-making. Recently, I spoke with Chefs John Besh, Donald Link, and Wayne Schexnayder of Acadian Foods about German influences on our cuisine and their family traditions of making that most important of local sausages, andouille.

From the TImes Picayune; it's a great weekend for gumbo lovers:

"Gumbo lovers can get their fill this weekend as three fall festivals kick into high gear, setting heat to giant pots of protein-rich gumbo across south Louisiana. Three festivals -- the World Championship Gumbo Cookoff in New Iberia, the Bridge City Gumbo Festival and the Louisiana Gumbo Festival in Chackbay -- dedicate Oct. 12, 13 and 14 to celebrating this delicious cultural icon, meaning ambitious festival-goers could hit a different gumbo-themed event each day of the weekend to taste a range of recipes."

To find out more about each event see our Louisiana events list here.

Special Thanks to The Times Picayune, read more here