I’ve heard it said that you can’t go home again. In other words, when you return to a place you visited in the past, it won’t be the same as you remember it. This often leaves the traveler disappointed. Does this mean you shouldn’t return to places that have fond memories for you? Making new memories and having new experiences in familiar places is an adventure in itself.

For me, going home again means returning to my Southern roots. When I was a child, my parents packed the family up and brought us to rural Louisiana for a few weeks each year so my parents could reconnect with my dad’s siblings. While the adults spent time together, my sister and I spent those days having fun and running wild with our cousins as only kids on summer vacation can.

A typical vacation day involved playing card games on the front porch of our Mt. Airy home or watching the tops of ships pass by the levee that separated the Mississippi River from us. Around Christmas, that same levee became the spot where we would shoot off fireworks. No kid’s vacation would be complete without an infusion of sugar. We’d get ours by walking 5 minutes up the road to the local IGA store where we would load up on penny candy and red cream soda.

While these memories are amazing, looking back, the best days of our vacation was the day we all loaded up into the car and went down to the coolest city of all, New Orleans.

St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans. One of the most recognized landmarks in the city.

The Big Easy is loaded with cool childhood memories; we would always start our city trips at the famous Café Du Monde for beignets and chocolate milk (my parents of course went for the chicory café au lait). After devouring what seemed like our weight in beignets and thoroughly covering ourselves in powdered sugar we would stroll through Jackson Square towards the notorious Bourbon Street where the most salacious of bars were located. The ten year old BaconMedic was certainly doing whatever was in his power to sneak a peek (unsuccessfully) into whatever mysterious worlds lay beyond the doors!

Eventually, we would make our way back to the car and return to Little Gramercy to eat dinner with the cousins. What was lost on me was all the history, culture and food that was around me. I never fully appreciated these things until I became an adult. Because my dad was a local, he took all of this coolness for granted and an opportunity was missed. I think that holds true for most of us—we don’t realize many of the amazing things around our own homes until someone else points them out.

Even without the history and culture, New Orleans left a big impression on me as a child. So much so that as an adult, I still take every opportunity to return to this magnificent city and learn about all of the wonderful things she has to offer. A conference here, a Mardi Gras trip there, and my affection for NOLA was cemented in my mind.

With all of this in mind, we fast forward a couple of decades to now. The BaconMedic is a full time healthcare professional and food/travel blogger. BaconWife is a travel agent. We both work a lot of hours. When we realized that we suddenly had 3-day weekend off together with just 36 hours notice, we decided we had to take full advantage of the time and do something fun. We put our heads together and had a very quick discussion on where to go.

Local destinations? Cool, but it wont scratch the itch. Nashville? Been there, loved it. Chicago? Possibly, let me think about it. New Orleans? BAM! (Sorry, Emeril!). We chatted about a few other locations, but kept coming back to New Orleans. Knowing we had a limit on our time away, going back to the comforts of home seemed to be the best fit. And honestly? The thought of spending a carefree weekend in the French Quarter was almost too much to handle. Within minutes, we had airfare and a hotel booked.

For a fun and different way to explore New Orleans, jump on one of the paddleboats!

For me, flying into New Orleans is a neat experience. I do my best to grab a window seat and try to identify landmarks when on final approach. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (the world’s longest continuous bridge over water), the New Orleans skyline, and the Mississippi River along with its many oil refineries and chemical plants are all familiar sights that bring me back home. These landmarks also remind me of how something as simple as a change in location can change the outcome of one’s life.

I was born here. I still consider my roots to be Southern. I’m a diehard LSU fan (Geaux Tigers!!!). Despite all of these things, I now understand the gravity and consequences of the discussions my parents must have had while I slept in my bassinet in a tiny apartment in suburban Metarie.

My mother wanted to raise her family close to her parents in New Hampshire. My Dad wanted the same thing, only in Louisiana. At the end of the day, the old saying: ‘happy wife, happy life’ won out, and after one short year, we were settled in New Hampshire, with Mom expecting my sister. New Hampshire was good for us; we had great opportunities to grow and learn there. Even though we were “settled” in the state, we always made sure that we had time for frequent trips to visit Dad’s home and family.

The rest is, as they say, history. I grew up to work as a paramedic and nurse before turning my love of food and travel into blogging. I fear that had Dad won that argument many years ago and we had stayed in Louisiana, I would have found myself working on the side of one of the massive chemical structures I see as we approach the city. For a guy who is terrified of heights, I’m glad Mom won that argument! (And to be fair, I’m glad Dad saw the wisdom of keeping his wife happy.)

Leave the driving to someone else. Step back in time, explore the city by horse drawn carriage and learn some history from the locals.

While the landmarks show me that I am home, actually touching down and getting off the plane is the real reminder. For this Southern boy raised in New England, stepping out into the New Orleans air in early September is a shock. While New Englanders have started adding pumpkin spice into everything and enjoying the transition to crisp fall air and colorful foliage, Louisiana still has the steam bath setting on high.

Temperatures at 10am had already reached 96 degrees and the humidity matched that number when we stepped out of the terminal. The old saying: ‘it’s not the heat, it’s the humidity’ was once again proven to be true. I recall being in Las Vegas in July a couple of summers ago where the daytime temperatures were routinely hitting 110 degrees; however, with almost zero percent humidity, it was certainly manageable. In other words, you could actually breath. New Orleans? My sweat had sweat. The heat and humidity, combined with the pollen in the air makes the New Orleans weather a bit challenging for those not used to it. My advice? Slow down—there’s no reason to rush. Take time to enjoy yourself.

Not easily deterred by something as simple as the weather, my immediate mission was simple: food. Actually, since I had been up since 3AM and hadn’t eaten much more than a couple of bags of Southwest (the official airline of the Bacon Medic) pretzels, my mission was more like: FOOD! NOW!

Before I actually tell you what and where I ate, I need to give you a little history lesson on Louisiana cuisine so that you can fully appreciate why I believe (and will keep telling people until the day I die), New Orleans is the single best food city in America, if not, the world.

Despite moving north at the tender age of 1, I grew up on Louisiana cuisine. Creole and Cajun food were mainstays at our home, and yes there certainly is a difference between the two. To understand the difference, one must touch on the cultural difference between the two and recognize that these cultures are what influenced each style of cooking.

Creole is mixture of European, African and Caribbean Island influences, with an emphasis on creamy, bordering on decadent sauces. Cream and butter are popular, almost standard, ingredients; and there is much less an emphasis on ‘spicy’, rather a more delicate balance of herbs and spices. This cuisine, like its people, developed in New Orleans as slaves would cook for their rich masters; as such its often referred to as city food.

Cajun cooks, on the other hand, are from rural Louisiana, which is comprised of wet, swampy land; many of the ingredients hail from this geography. Shellfish, alligator, frogs and just about anything else alive that could be cooked; and with the French influences brought to the region by their ancestors, an amazing cooking style developed. Unlike creole cooks, who use butter and flour as a roux; Cajun cooks use lard or other form of bacon fat.

Parents: want your kids to eat their veggies? Cook them Cajun style! As a child I learned to love Lima beans when everyone else in my neighborhood hated them; after all, how could they not be delicious when sautéed in bacon grease with chopped onions? (OK, so it’s also no secret that the BaconMedic was a bit on the chubby side growing up, BUT he ate his vegetables!)

History lesson over. Ready for food? Just one more thing before we get to the good stuff: BaconMedic Life Advice. It is simple: when visiting Louisiana (or actually anywhere new), you must embrace two important things in order to fully capture the essence of the cuisine and the experience of the location.

First, you must understand that to taste the authentic flavors, you really need to suspend your diet for a few days. Foods are fatty and fried, and quite frankly, not at all healthy. And they are also beyond amazing. Save the low cal, low fat foods for home. A couple of decadent meals over the course of a long weekend wont kill you, in fact, even the BaconMedic has been known to eat more than his share of salads when he isn’t researching great foods.

Second, and this is critical, don’t be afraid to try new things. Basically, anything that crawls, swims or flies is fair game; and it can (and will) be fried, sautéed, put into a soup or gumbo and served with pride. If you allow yourself to immerse yourself in the tastes that these proud chefs are serving you, you will experience a culinary revolution that you aren’t likely to recover from.

And this is Louisiana specific—for the love of God, don’t ask what boudin is; just open your mind and your mouth and dig in. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed!

Finally. The moment you have been waiting for…it is lunchtime, you’re in the French Quarter, what do you eat? One could go with the quick and easy way to appease the growling belly with a traditional Lucky Dog, but I think we all know that isn’t the answer on a quick 48-hour food trip. (Disclaimer: I would never dis’ the Lucky Dog, the Big Easy’s famous hot dog with carts located around the city, it’s just not what I had come to town for this time.)

Muriel’s in Jackson Square: home to food so great even the ghosts eat here!

No, we needed some good old fashioned, traditional NOLA cooking, and Muriel’s in Jackson Square fit the bill. Built in 1718, the building has a long and storied history, which includes at least one ghost. While anxious to learn about the supernatural presence(s) here, exploring the ghostly side of this portion of America’s most haunted city was going to have to wait. After all, you can’t properly hunt for ghosts on an empty stomach!

Muriel’s menu is filled with the classic NOLA selections, such as Seafood Gumbo and Shrimp Creole, but there were two items that screamed ‘order us’. The first dish on our menu was the Shrimp and Goat Cheese Crepes. This succulent dish is a prime example of creole cuisine, with a buttery chardonnay, tomato, and pepper sauce covering the Cajun style shrimp. Each bite was an incredible experience and a huge step up from the standard (but wonderful) creole Red Beans & Rice found on most NOLA menus.

Our next dish was also a decadent fusion of the two cuisines: Duck and Chaurice Hash served with two poached eggs and a decadent Hollandaise sauce. Again, the marriage between the two cuisines is clear – the duck and spicy pork sausage with its Cajun roots, and the Creole based rich sauce. And it’s a marriage that works splendidly. Every single bite was an incredible experience.

Even as much as the BaconMedic loves food, the thought of dessert was a bit daunting after these two dishes. Too full to wander far or make any immediate plans, we ventured upstairs to the more haunted area of the building, passing a table that was left set up (complete with bread and wine) for its most famous ghost, Pierre Antoine Lepardi Jourdan.

Pierre Antoine’s reserved table. Are those dust motes in the light? Or is it evidence the table is currently occupied?

Monsieur Jordan was a former owner of the house who committed suicide after losing his home in a poker game in 1814. While Jourdan is the most famous paranormal resident, there are reportedly many ghosts living at the property. The most supernatural activity occurs in the second floor Séance Lounges, where Jourdan took his own life. Although this is the most active area of the restaurant, it’s not the only active area, as there are reports of glasses flying from the bar and smashing against the brick wall. While I didn’t have any specific encounters at Muriel’s, my wife was frozen at the entrance to the lounge, with a feeling she still can’t explain.

After our exploration of the haunted portions of the building and with bellies still full, we exited the comfort of Muriel’s and walked directly into the heat and humidity of the Louisiana early afternoon.

No visit to New Orleans is complete without a trip to the French Quarter, so that is where we headed. We trudged through the afternoon heat checking out the sites and sounds of the Quarter, passing Café Du Monde, then making our way down to the French Market where the shade from the roof provided a slight relief. After popping in and out of a few shops, we both realized that we were in dire need of some icy cold suds.

Finding respite from the heat at Harry’s Corner.

We quickly found Harry’s Corner, a neighborhood watering hole on Chartres Street. Within minutes we were sipping on a couple of local brews, a refreshing Blonde Ale (appropriately named Blonde) from NOLA Brewing. Remember to try the local brews as well as the local cuisine when traveling! Refreshed by our beers, we made our way to our hotel on the outskirts of the quarter, ready for cold shower and a nap before for our next adventure.

Rested and ready for our evening tour of the haunted city (more to follow on that in another post), we set out first to find dinner. While the BaconMedic believes in being adaptable and adventurous when traveling, he also believes in doing research. With so many choices for excellent food, it was hard to narrow it down to just one. This is where my research came in handy.

I recalled watching the Best Thing I Ever Ate: New Orleans episode on the Food Network. Sunny Anderson bragged about the best catfish she had ever eaten, a plate of fish that she referred to as ‘life changing’ and the reason she moved to New Orleans. While this may sound like hyperbole, there was no way to know without experiencing it ourselves.

Decision made and the anticipation building, we quickly made our way to Deanie’s Seafood on Ibervillle Street and within minutes we were seated. Our server, Mike, quickly brought us a couple of ice cold Hopitoulas IPAs from NOLA Brewing while we looked over the menu. While still perusing the menu, we were presented with a plate of bread. I’m just kidding. That’s exactly what one would expect at a restaurant. But remember, this is NOLA, and the only thing to expect is the unexpected. Mike put a plate of red potatoes in front of us. These potatoes are boiled in seafood seasoning, then split apart and covered with butter. These simple potatoes were an amazing appetizer as we debated the merits of raw oysters versus charbroiled. While we both love oysters raw, we decided to give the charbroiled a try. It was definitely the right choice! These oysters were smooth, buttery, and covered with bubbly parmesan cheese. They didn’t last long!

We made the decision to split the fried catfish platter. When it arrived, we received confirmation that was the right thing to do. It was huge!! Towering with fried catfish, this plate was more than enough for the two of us.

I picked up a piece, too impatient to wait for it to cool down. I dipped it into the small dish of tartar sauce, topped it with a drop of Crystal Hot Sauce. That first bite was indescribable. Light, flakey, fresh, perfectly seasoned. An explosion of flavors and every other cliché for incredible food I can come up with—it was that good. Sunny Anderson was correct. It was truly life changing, not just the best catfish I have ever eaten, and not just the best seafood I have eaten, but truly one of the best meals I have ever eaten. This experience best exemplifies how NOLA chefs can take a simple item like catfish and turn it into an amazing culinary experience.

Now, you may find it hard to believe after my going on and on about its culinary delights, but New Orleans definitely has more to offer than food. No visit to the city would be complete without taking in some local tourist attractions and perhaps sampling a few local brews. And we definitely did both on our long weekend! But, as with all things, the BaconMedic believes in moderation and having time to digest, so those stories will have to wait for another day—make sure you keep an eye out for them!

For now, I leave you with this thought: People visit New Orleans for a multitude of reasons, for me, the top reason (even above visiting family – shhhhh) is the food. Dishes like the ones I’ve described here are just a few of the many examples of fine cooking and eating the city has to offer. I said it earlier in this blog, and I will say it again just to remind you of how much I truly believe this: before New Orleans is the single best food city in America, if not, the world. Go see it and taste for yourself!

Hi.

Oct 1 Who Says You Can't Go Home Again?

Hi.

Oct 1 Who Says You Can't Go Home Again?

Oct 13 Hunting for Ghosts and Good Beignets in New Orleans

Sep 14 (Re) Visiting Venice

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