N'awlins Classics!

You can boil them, fry them, stuff them.....or barbecue them! As I have stated many times, we spent lots and lots of weekends visiting The Big Easy! I remember tasting Oysters Bienville at Commander's Palace, Stuffed Shrimp at Galatoire's and the most marvelous champagne brunches at The Court of Two Sisters (where Miss Judy held her wedding reception)! Well, not that I participated in the champagne part until I was a little older.....but, I did get to experience all of the wonderful sights, smells and tastes of New Orleans often!

Who would not be drawn to the Crescent City cuisine.....you are just bowled over by the depth of flavor and richness of the food. Anytime of day, you can wander into a small little neighborhood grocery and order Red Beans & Rice, an overstuffed Shrimp Po' Boy, Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce, along with an ice cold Dixie Beer. Good lawd...think I gained ten pounds just thinking about it! The original Magnolia Grill featured a chili omelet of all things, served by waiters in crisp white jackets and black bow ties. They had been long, long time employees of the Magnolia which is no longer there. At that time, in the 50's and 60's, it was off of St. Charles Street...just an old-fashioned neighborhood diner. We never went home without a trip to Schwegmann's to load up on Blue Runner Beans for Daddy!


There was one place that stands out in my memory....Pascale's Manale Restaurant and Bar. They served the best barbecue shrimp....just pooled in melted butter, Worcestershire sauce and spices....sensational! Did you know that most of the flavor of the shrimp is in the head? Estelle's does serve this dish with the tails left on, but we buy our fresh shrimp with the head removed. This is one dish we serve on every beach trip....on our big seafood night after a trip to Joe Patti's!

Estelle's Barbecue Shrimp
4 lbs unpeeled, large shrimp
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chili sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce
2 fresh lemons, sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 T. Creole Seasoning
2 T. lemon juice
1 T. fresh chopped parsley
1 t. paprika
1 t. oregano
1 t. ground red pepper
1/2 t. Tabasco sauce

Spread shrimp in a shallow broiler pan. Combine butter and next 12 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until butter melts.

 Pour over the shrimp.

 Cover and chill two hours, turning shrimp over every 30 minutes.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F. for 20 minutes.

 You must serve this with crusty french bread for "Soppin' up the sauce!"

This recipe was made famous by our family friend Raymond DuPuy, who owned and operated The Mayflower in New Orleans for many years. Raymond also threw Miss Judy her wedding reception at
 The Court of Two Sisters, where he served as manager at that time in the early 1970's!

Fat Man's Misery

14 Chocolate Wafers

1 Stick of Butter

1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

1 Egg

1 t. Almond Extract

1/2 pint Whipping Cream, Whipped

1/2 T. Sugar

1 t. Vanilla

1 Cup Chopped Pecans

Crush chocolate wafers. Line a pie pan with the crumbs. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and cream again. Add almond extract. Spread this mixture on top of the crumbs. Whip cream with sugar and then add vanilla and pecans. Fold these until well blended. Spread this on the first mixture. Cover with more crushed wafers and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving.

Take just one bite of this yummy creation and I promise, you will break into song..."Fly me to the moon and let me play among the stars".............