Cajun/Southern food

[Mike Mc]

Hello All,

My fiancé is from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
experience? My fiancé has not completely adjusted!

Post or email me directly

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@posting.google.com>,
Mike Mc <***@yahoo.com> wrote:

*Hello All,
*
* My fiancé is from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
*Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
*food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
*experience? My fiancé has not completely adjusted!

Billing itself as Creole, not Cajun, Carmine's Cafe in Havertown might fit
the bill. I like it there, anyway. I haven't been in a while though.

http://www.carminescreolecafe.com/writeup.html

[happy_rooster]

On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 01:33:33 +0000 (UTC), Hillary Israeli

Post by Hillary Israeli
*Hello All,
*
* My fianc嚙箠s from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
*Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
*food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
*experience? My fianc嚙篁as not completely adjusted!
Billing itself as Creole, not Cajun, Carmine's Cafe in Havertown might fit
the bill. I like it there, anyway. I haven't been in a while though.
http://www.carminescreolecafe.com/writeup.html

There is a slight difference between creole food and cajun food.
http://frenchfood.about.com/library/weekly/aa061202a.htm

Cajun or Creole? What's the difference?

Cajun and Creole Cuisine seemed to burst on the restaurant scene in the
the early 80's with Chef Paul Prud'homme leading the way with his
blackened redfish. Pretty soon we had blackened everything. Even though
these "blackened" dishes were not traditional Cajun food, they became
associated with Cajun and Louisiana cooking. Visitors to New Orleans soon
found out that there was a difference between Cajun, which was not all
blackened and with Creole dishes. What is the difference? It's basically
linked to the history of Louisiana and New Orleans.

In Louisiana, the Cajuns are descendants of exiled Acadians from Canada
and Nova Scotia. When New France lost its northern possessions to England
in 1763, many of the settlers left Canada for the countryside of southern
Louisiana, settling around New Orleans but generally not settling in New
Orleans. During this time New Orleans was a thriving port city with a mix
of French, Spanish and African cultures. The inhabitants of New Orleans
called themselves "creoles" which at the time meant "native inhabitants"
as opposed to the Americans who began to move into the city after
Jefferson's purchase of the territory in 1803. This brief history of
settlement helps us understand the differences in Cajun and Creole cuisine.

From the Cajun point of view, Cajun and Creole cuisine are similar when
compared to "American" cuisine but differences appear when they are
compared to each other.In general, Creole cuisine has been influenced by
French, Spanish and Africa. The original French settlers combined
traditional French cooking techniques and applied them to the ingredients
used by native Americans, Spanish and Africans who lived in the city.
These "creole" dishes contain more tomato sauce, more garlic and a greater
variety of herbs than Cajun dishes. They also use more butter and cream in
their recipes. Cajun cuisine focuses more on well-seasoned meats and
seafood with rice as the usual accompaniment. They do not have a legacy of
cooking with milk or with cream sauces.

Today, of course, there is much more of a crossover between the two
cuisines but Creole is still more closely associated with the food of New
Orleans, while Cajun food is associated with that of the parishes
surrounding the city.

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@news.verizon.net>,
happy_rooster <***@yahoo.com> wrote:

*On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 01:33:33 +0000 (UTC), Hillary Israeli
*<***@hillary.net> wrote:
*
*> Billing itself as Creole, not Cajun, Carmine's Cafe in Havertown might
*> fit
*> the bill. I like it there, anyway. I haven't been in a while though.
*>
*> http://www.carminescreolecafe.com/writeup.html
*
*There is a slight difference between creole food and cajun food.

Well, yes, of course. That is why I mentioned Carmine's isn't Cajun.

[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by happy_rooster
Today, of course, there is much more of a crossover between the two
cuisines but Creole is still more closely associated with the food of New
Orleans, while Cajun food is associated with that of the parishes
surrounding the city.

That is right. There are cajun restaurants (normally pretty pricey restaurants)

in New Orleans. But there are no cajun speaking people. If you want to
find cajun speakers and reasonably priced cajun food, you have to go
to the surrounding parishes(counties in our area) like Lafayette and Lake
Charles.

[s***@temple.edu]

Post by Mike Mc
Hello All,
My fiancé is from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
experience? My fiancé has not completely adjusted!
Post or email me directly

The Down Home diner might fit the bill. It is in the Reading Terminal
Market. There's also a restaurant called the New Orleans Cafe which you
two might enjoy. Its not cheap though; quite upscale. The New Orleans Cafe
is in Media on Main Street in an old bank.

[Mettlesmertz]

There is a new BYOB cajun restaurant in Ridley Township Delaware County that
was started by two former employees of the New Orleans Reataurant in Media.
The name of the restaurant is Nora Lees ;-) The food is good and much
cheaper than New Orleans.

Post by Mike Mc
Hello All,
My fiancé is from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
experience? My fiancé has not completely adjusted!
Post or email me directly

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[GeneJYao]

How about Delila's (not the gentlemen's club but the Southern restaurant) in
the Reading Terminal? Its not Louisiana cuisine but still Southern.

[GeneJYao]

Speaking of Southern food, can anyone elighten me as to why grits are still
popular there? Compared to most other Southern food, which tends to be
relatively fllavorful, grits have no taste. I understand that it is a staple,
but given the number of other crops in the South which could serve as a staple
(rice, for instance), why are grits still so popular?

[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by GeneJYao
Speaking of Southern food, can anyone elighten me as to why grits are still
popular there? Compared to most other Southern food, which tends to be
relatively fllavorful, grits have no taste. I understand that it is a staple,
but given the number of other crops in the South which could serve as a staple
(rice, for instance), why are grits still so popular?

Grits is southern. But I don't think is overpopular. When I was down in
the South(including New Orleans), you will not be served grits unless you
ask for it.

[s***@temple.edu]

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P
Grits is southern. But I don't think is overpopular. When I was down in
the South(including New Orleans), you will not be served grits unless you
ask for it.

One day when I was roaming around a small Florida town during the off
tourist season, I went into local restaurant to eat breakfast. There were
maybe about ten people in the restaurant, all were locals as far as I
could tell. The waitress asked me if I wanted grits of potatoes in my
eggs. I perked up in a loud voice and I asked out loudly if anyone there
eats grits. Not one of those customers raised their hands, but all of them
laughed. This was about three years ago.

[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by s***@temple.edu

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P
Grits is southern. But I don't think is overpopular. When I was down in
the South(including New Orleans), you will not be served grits unless you
ask for it.

One day when I was roaming around a small Florida town during the off
tourist season, I went into local restaurant to eat breakfast. There were
maybe about ten people in the restaurant, all were locals as far as I
could tell. The waitress asked me if I wanted grits of potatoes in my
eggs. I perked up in a loud voice and I asked out loudly if anyone there
eats grits. Not one of those customers raised their hands, but all of them
laughed. This was about three years ago.

I went to college in Virginina. Never a time I was served grits in my meals
unless I asked for it. If you are really in the deep south like Alabama and
Mississippi and go off beat to eat at some small local eateries, typical
food you will find(and the choice of food is just a few) is some good
old southern fried chicken, shredded BBQ pork in a BBQ sauce, beans,
mean green cooked with pork fat, rice and of course, sweet potatoes.
I ate so much sweet potatoes in a dripping sweet sauce that plain mash
potatoes is a northern diet to me.

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@mb-m25.aol.com>,
GeneJYao <***@aol.com> wrote:

*Speaking of Southern food, can anyone elighten me as to why grits are still
*popular there? Compared to most other Southern food, which tends to be
*relatively fllavorful, grits have no taste. I understand that it is a staple,
*but given the number of other crops in the South which could serve as a staple
*(rice, for instance), why are grits still so popular?

Huh. I'm a yankee through and through but I love grits.

[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by Hillary Israeli
*Speaking of Southern food, can anyone elighten me as to why grits are still
*popular there? Compared to most other Southern food, which tends to be
*relatively fllavorful, grits have no taste. I understand that it is a staple,
*but given the number of other crops in the South which could serve as a staple
*(rice, for instance), why are grits still so popular?
Huh. I'm a yankee through and through but I love grits.

you are an exception. A lot of yankees don't even know what
grits is, let alone have a taste of it.

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@earthlink.net>,
¦Ê¹½¬P <***@earthlink.net> wrote:
*
*Hillary Israeli wrote:
*>
*> Huh. I'm a yankee through and through but I love grits.
*
*you are an exception. A lot of yankees don't even know what
*grits is, let alone have a taste of it.

Seems to me most people know what grits are (I feel like I need to say
"are," not "is," am I mistaken?), but most people (and by "people" I mean
yankees in this context) haven't tried them unless they had a southern
housekeeper or relative, or have visited the south. I tried them in North
Carolina and got hooked on them.

[bebopper]

Post by Hillary Israeli
*

it.

Post by Hillary Israeli
Seems to me most people know what grits are (I feel like I need to say
"are," not "is," am I mistaken?), but most people (and by "people" I mean
yankees in this context) haven't tried them unless they had a southern
housekeeper or relative, or have visited the south. I tried them in North
Carolina and got hooked on them.

I think grits are, by nature plural, as nobody (with the
exception perhaps, of Kate Moss) would order "a grit".

However, they may also be considered a "mass noun" like
applesauce (applesauce IS, but mashed potatoes ARE).

This can probably be solved by just speaking of them in the
negative, and saying "grits AIN'T" which would be acceptable usage
throughout most of the South.

- bebopper (bottom posting)

[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by Hillary Israeli
*
*>
*> Huh. I'm a yankee through and through but I love grits.
*
*you are an exception. A lot of yankees don't even know what
*grits is, let alone have a taste of it.
Seems to me most people know what grits are (I feel like I need to say
"are," not "is," am I mistaken?),

Depends on context. Most of the time, I would say grits "are" too.
But sometimes, if I deem to use the term as a category of something,
(or a "mass noun" as behopper says) like "grits is southern" etc, I
would prefer to use "is".

It is just a matter of personal preference.

[bebopper]

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P
Depends on context. Most of the time, I would say grits "are" too.

But sometimes, if I deem to use the term as a category of something,
(or a "mass noun" as behopper says) like "grits is southern" etc, I
would prefer to use "is".
It is just a matter of personal preference.

I think it might be more proper to say "grits BE Southern... "


- bebopper

[Karen Y Byrd]

On Tue, 2 Mar 2004 19:09:19 +0000 (UTC),

Post by Hillary Israeli
*
*>
*> Huh. I'm a yankee through and through but I love grits.
*
*you are an exception. A lot of yankees don't even know what
*grits is, let alone have a taste of it.
Seems to me most people know what grits are (I feel like I need to say
"are," not "is," am I mistaken?), but most people (and by "people" I mean
yankees in this context) haven't tried them unless they had a southern
housekeeper or relative, or have visited the south. I tried them in North
Carolina and got hooked on them.

Since grits is/are too much like hot cereal(which I loath), just
thought of them almost makes my skin crawl.

KByrd

[Hillary Israeli]

In <***@pobox.upenn.edu>,
Karen Y Byrd <***@pobox.upenn.edu> wrote:

*
*Since grits is/are too much like hot cereal(which I loath), just
*thought of them almost makes my skin crawl.

Heh. Whereas I love hot cereal, and sometimes eat grits for breakfast,
sort of as if it were cereal.

[Dubinse]

In addition to being part of "Southern"
cooking, there are other corn meal dishes
such as polenta and mummeliggah (in
the Romanian Jewish tradition) as in
"Oy, Rumanya Rumanya Rumanya
Rumanya!!"
Stephen Dubin VMD

[Steve Wertz]

Post by Dubinse
In addition to being part of "Southern"
cooking, there are other corn meal dishes
such as polenta and mummeliggah (in
the Romanian Jewish tradition) as in
"Oy, Rumanya Rumanya Rumanya
Rumanya!!"
Stephen Dubin VMD

Grits are hominy cornmeal - processed with lye or another base
solution, made almost exclusively from white corn. Cornmeal is
just ground dried corn (usually from yellow corn). They taste
completely different to me.

They can be found on most breakfast menus, and hospital and
company cafeterias from North Carolina to eastern Texas, not so
much LA, though (not just the hole-in-the-walls like somebody else
mentioned). Often used as the main filler to make a breakfast
casserole (bacon, sausage, ham, cheese, etc).

They're an excuse to use up large quantities of hot sauce, butter
and salt.

-sw

[Mettlesmertz]

Grits are one of those foods that in and of itself is rather tasteless but
it picks up and enhances the taste of other ingredients added to it. For
example add a scrambled egg to some grits with a dash of hot sauce (used to
be good with a over easy egg before that became taboo). My Mom use to add a
little bacon grease to the grits - that was yummy but not so good for you.
My better half makes grit cakes, thick grits put in a shallow pan and
chilled, which she then pan fry's to a light brown and serves with salsa.

I was trying to think of some other foods that have little taste like grits.
All I could think of at the moment is tofu and vodka.

Dave

Post by GeneJYao
Speaking of Southern food, can anyone elighten me as to why grits are still
popular there? Compared to most other Southern food, which tends to be
relatively fllavorful, grits have no taste. I understand that it is a staple,
but given the number of other crops in the South which could serve as a staple
(rice, for instance), why are grits still so popular?

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[Earl J. Morris]

Post by Mettlesmertz
Grits are one of those foods that in and of itself is rather tasteless but
it picks up and enhances the taste of other ingredients added to it.

Good description.

Post by Mettlesmertz
I was trying to think of some other foods that have little taste like grits.

How about "Cous Cous"?

Earl

[Mettlesmertz]

Yes Cous Cous is one of them. I have had Cous Cous many different ways i.e.
with cheese, sun dried tomatos etc

I guess we could also include chick peas that category.

Post by Mettlesmertz
Grits are one of those foods that in and of itself is rather tasteless but
it picks up and enhances the taste of other ingredients added to it.

Good description.

Post by Mettlesmertz
I was trying to think of some other foods that have little taste like grits.

How about "Cous Cous"?

Earl




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[¦Ê¹½¬P]

Post by Mike Mc
Hello All,
My fiancé is from Louisiana and she misses food from home often.
Anyone recommen a place with good Cajun or just plain good southern
food? Any transplants from the South living in Philly with similar
experience? My fiancé has not completely adjusted!
Post or email me directly

Getting back to the original posting, Lousiana food is not really
Southern.
Southern food is hard to find in the north because southern cooking is
really a very homely type of cooking, nothing elegant, nothing fancy. If

you really want to have southern food, you'll find it in some small
eateries
in the black neighborhood. It is because a substantial number of blacks

in Philadelphia have their roots in the South. A lot of them still have
their
connections there. Also, the KFC buffet style meal (like the one offered

at City Line Ave, right next to the radio station WDAS) is very much
Southern. They have dishes such as mean green, sweet potatoes, red beans

and rice etc. A more elegant version of Southern food can be found in
Ron's Ribs in South Street. Good ribs and good southern cooking.

http://sswba.org/Directory/RonsRibs/ronsribs.html

As for cajun and creole food in Philadelphia, it's now becoming harder
and harder to find. Cafe Nola closed its door some years ago. There is
a restaurant/bar called Creole at front street where I used to pick up
Poboy sandwiches. Last time I was there(about 3 months ago), they
told me that the cook quit and they could not make Poboys anymore,
at least not for a while.

[GeneJYao]

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P
They have dishes such as mean green, sweet potatoes, red beans

What's "mean green"?

[Secret Squirrel]

Post by ¦Ê¹½¬P

Post by Mike Mc
Hello All,

As for cajun and creole food in Philadelphia, it's now becoming harder
and harder to find. Cafe Nola closed its door some years ago. There is
a restaurant/bar called Creole at front street where I used to pick up
Poboy sandwiches. Last time I was there(about 3 months ago), they
told me that the cook quit and they could not make Poboys anymore,
at least not for a while.

Nola re-opened, for the 4th time now on 2nd street at headhouse square. I
was there for the preopening and was disappointed. I'm planning to give
them another try soon in hopes that they have gotten better.

There are some terrific creole places in South Jersey as well. Melange in
Cherry Hill and Creole Cafe in Williamstown are both terrific

[Dubinse]

This morning, while driving on Baltimore
Pike in Clifton Heights, I passed "Gumbo
Shoppe" at the corner of Oak Road (just
before Burlington Coat Factory). I have no
direct knowledge of the place (Doesn't
look vegan friendly), but the sign says,
"You'll love this taste of New Orleans."

Stephen Dubin VMD

[James Andrews]

Post by Dubinse
This morning, while driving on Baltimore
Pike in Clifton Heights, I passed "Gumbo
Shoppe" at the corner of Oak Road (just
before Burlington Coat Factory). I have no
direct knowledge of the place (Doesn't
look vegan friendly), but the sign says,
"You'll love this taste of New Orleans."

don't forget la creole, that dumpy bar down on front st. around catharine,
maybe? they make great gumbo there, and other cajun stuff as
well--etouffe, jambalaya, the usual.