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Hubig’s Pies are coming back next year!
Hola, Amigos!
Only an hour after I published my July update post yesterday, I go into the living room and there’s a blip on the news about the return of the old New Orleans favorite, Hubig’s Pies. There is rejoicing in the land tonight.
I wrote about these iconic treats a few years ago, when I was still living in Houston. I think I was looking for something else to blog about. When I stopped traveling around Houston and trying different places, I struggled for new blog topics that were interesting. And, quite frankly, there were times when I just didn’t feel like writing anything.
But I couldn’t believe my luck–I knew I should have waited before I published, but I just wanted to get a quick update out.
The Announcement
Since 2012, people in Louisiana have patiently waited for the return of a beloved hand pie that was available about anywhere for 90 years. Their patience has finally paid off.
In a joint press release, Governor John Bel Edwards and Hubig’s owner Andrew Ramsey announced today that the company would resume producing the famed pies in a new facility in Jefferson Parish, not Orleans parish where the company lived for 90 years.
The State of Louisiana and the Parish of Jefferson offered multiple business incentives, that, apparently, Orleans Parish wouldn’t. But whatever–people are overjoyed, and who cares if they’re made in Jefferson Parish? They plan to use the same recipes, and not change anything, so that should ensure consistency and happiness again.
Not So Fast
However, they note that they don’t have a place yet, but they are working to get one, and get started. Mr. Ramsey was quoted as saying,
“I don’t have a facility yet. I don’t have a place where I can press a button and start making pies,” he said in an interview.
“This (loan guarantee) is a part of the puzzle to get the business back again,” he said. “Everything has been coming together; we’ve had a tremendous amount of support. But I don’t have a timeline yet.”
But after seven years of nothing, this is definitely good news.
The manufacturing equipment they need is going to be highly specialized, so that’s probably going to be their biggest hurdle. The factory will bring something like 30 jobs to the suburban parish, likely in Metairie or Kenner.
Side note: the Govna is from the area where I live. I’ve met a couple of his relatives because I happened to be in town, and BF introduced me. BF actually shook hands with him at a funeral a year or so ago, and went to school with a few of his relatives. The Gov lives here and commutes to Baton Rouge every day, something I thought I’d be doing when I interviewed at LSU in 2016.
There’s more information here in this news story.
What’s The Big Deal About Hubig’s?
In a state that doesn’t always value health and wellness, local food is one of those things that people hold onto and take very seriously.
An apple Hubig’s pie in all it’s deliciousness.
The Hubig’s Pie affair is bigger than the Twinkies affair, because Hostess pretty much already had a buyer waiting going into bankruptcy court. But I’m sure Mr. Ramsey has been able to learn from the Twinkies re-set and will be working with new, more agile, manufacturing practices.
Things like king cakes and other regional favorites have become wide spread. As I mentioned originally (and probably a few other times), king cakes are available in bakeries in Texas, and New Orleans bakers ship the cakes nationally. Check your grocery store for “Louisiana” or “New Orleans” foodstuffs, and you’ll find things like Tabasco, Zatarain’s, and maybe even Tony Chachere’s spices. I bought a wide range of things at HEB in Houston, so I know they’re available elsewhere, and online if you know where to look.
But Hubig’s Pies didn’t really make it out of Louisiana. It’s just one of those regional favorites, like kolaches in Texas. They were just always available, in every grocery store, convenience store, truck stop, gas station, and everywhere snacks were sold in the region. When they went away, as I mentioned in the last post, people missed them terribly, and have been asking for them to come back ever since.
The Devotion To Hubig’s Pies
Ladies and Gentlemen, your patience will be rewarded next year. Hubig’s Pies will make Louisiana great again! (I’m sure that’s what they’ll say, anyway.) You’ll be able to buy them online, too. How about that?
This article on NOLA.com (full of garbled code written by a monkey, I presume) details all the ways people have kept the flame burning for Hubig’s Pies. One lady kept a blueberry Hubig’s in her freezer all these years as a souvenir. Another has one sealed up in a plastic freezer bag in her closet. (EEEWWW!!) And as you saw in the last blog post, Mardi Gras costumes abound for people who are waiting for their Hubig’s Pies to return.
There’s even a comment by the Governor himself, speaking at a campaign stop, about his love for the missing pies. I’m guessing he’ll be using that in his re-election platform. Well, let’s face it, wouldn’t you?
Let me reiterate, as stated the first time I wrote about Hubig’s Pies, that there is nothing healthy, sugar-free, or gluten-free about these things. They are, like a lot of Louisiana foods, primarily white flour, sugar, starches, and likely unhealthy oils. Enjoy at your own risk. . .because everyone else here will take that risk once they are being sold again.
I’ll have a small bite of BF’s, just to satisfy my curiosity.
The Divided Dinnertime
Last night was one of those nights where we ate from our “pre-relationship menus.” BF calls things like Hamburger Helper “the pre-Amy menu,” and I referred to the roast chicken leg quarter as one of my “favorite single-girl payday meals.” Because it is, like the perfectly cooked flat iron steak that’s sliced against the grain and laid on top of a crisp salad with lettuce, tomatoes (grape, please), sugar snap peas, maybe some avocado, and a quickly whisked dressing of EVOO and a raspberry vinegar. Oh, and a bit of Celtic of pink Himalayan sea salt to finish it.
I asked why he would make such a thing, and his response was, “Well, you’re always telling me how great Pea & Pesto Soup is, so you can have that tonight.” I found the chicken leg in the freezer next to the ground beef and claimed it as my own.
We’ve been doing that sometimes, when he feels that Hamburger Helper, or a frozen Swanson dinner is just the thing. I’m sticking to the healthiest things I can eat here, which occasionally involves something like rice, which I don’t normally consume. But if it makes him happy, oh, well.
Drag Week
BF and his twin brother are planning to make the pilgrimage this year to Hot Rod Magazine’s annual Drag Week. BF went last year with another of his “car guy” friends, but they were only gone a couple of days. This time, the twin mechanics are planning the entire week of smelling like the exotic scents of car exhaust, motor oil and transmission fluid, as well as eating at various local greasy spoons. For this red-haired foodie, it means:
- I will be alone and free to be myself for an entire week
- I can cook and eat whatever I want all week long without criticism, critiquing or fake retching
- This includes the absence of comments such as, “She’s tryin’ ta kill me!”
- I can watch my own TV and sew as much as I want
- I can invite over whomever I want, including, but not limited to
- BF’s brother’s wife and 5-year-old daughter
- “Car guy” girl JJ, and possibly her daughter if she’s interested
- Friends J&A who live a couple of miles away; A is one of BF’s collegues, and J is her boyfriend
- BF’s father who lives up the road (although he won’t come unless there’s an emergency)
- Anyone else who appreciates gourmet cooking and lives close enough or wants to drive up here
- Or nobody at all
I’m not planning a dinner party, although I probably could. But as I’ve told BF several times, I’m making plans for my “Drag Week Menu.” I’ll be cooking all manner of delicious, healthy food to enjoy while he’s across the country. The recipes may come from the new cookbooks I’ve bought, too. So what if he can’t say “Braciole?”
Networking
Remember when we went to Mr. Earl’s Barbecue? BF knows Mr. Earl from Drag Week, since he works on these kinds of cars at his shop outside of Baton Rouge. That New Year’s Eve gumbo fest and barbecue event is a yearly thing he does for all his “car guy” friends. (We missed it last year, maybe this year.)
Honestly, Drag Week is a networking event for petrolheads. BF knows so many people from Drag Week, I can’t tell them apart. But they have a great time, make new friends, meet up with old ones (supplemented by Facebook) and have fun while they’re there.
On a basic level, it’s like AWAI’s yearly copywriting Bootcamp. I streamed it live again this year, and I loved it all. But I do wish I could go in person next year. You never know, you might meet an automotive copywriter there!
Until Next Time
I plan on blogging again before too long, honest. Meantime, thanks to everyone who keeps reading my foodie-related rantings with SEO optimization.
Enjoy!
Are you a coffee-on-the-go drinker? Have you seen the new Barista Cup yet? Let me tell you about it.
Hello, again, Dear Readers:
I’m sorry that it’s been so long. There’s been a lot going on around here, and now it’s summer. But piggybacking off my last post, I would like to continue the coffee thing with something that will make nearly any coffee drinker very happy.
Still On Strike (Sort Of)
Although I have cooked some food for the both of us, mostly, me and BF generally do not eat the same thing much anymore. It makes him happy to eat frozen pizza, and I’m at the point where I just say go for it.
However, recently after one of our discussions of food, I decided that I would make myself something delicious. Remember the sweet potato sheet pan dinner?
I told him that I was making it for myself, and that he was not welcome to try it. However, when he saw the amount of bacon that was involved, he was willing to overlook anything else. Asparagus is one of those things that he “knows” that he doesn’t like, because he had it one time at his friend’s house. This is a friend who is a car guy and also fancies himself a chef. Clearly, he isn’t. But I don’t say much, and I really don’t like him. (We’re not invited over anymore for whatever he’s grilling anyway, so that’s a good thing.)
Well, because this dish is roasted a high temperature for quite a time, the asparagus also gets nicely roasted. Guess what? Turns out the BF actually likes roasted asparagus. Who the heck knew this would happen?
I think we must’ve used too much bacon, because I used to make it in the toaster oven. This time, we had to put it on a bigger sheet pan in the big oven. That’s OK, we ate it more than once, happily. And now this asparagus-hating BF is one who will happily eat it, as long as it’s roasted.
Gazpacho Soup Is Served Cold
You may have heard of this soup, a cold tomato concoction that’s usually served as a starter. If you haven’t tried it, well, I have, finally.
What you may not of heard of, especially if you don’t hang around me for a long period of time, is an old British TV show called Red Dwarf. I’ve written about it before, and it’s been on the air intermittently for about 30 years now, with the 12th season wrapped up a couple of years ago. It used to be on PBS and BBC America, but it’s now just for the British and for die-hard Americans who love it. (The entire series runs on the paid streaming service Britbox and Amazon Prime Video.)
In one of the early episodes of Red Dwarf , (I think it’s series 1, might be series 2) there was a reference to Gazpacho. One of the characters, Arnold J. Rimmer, is a hologram of one of the dead crew members. At the time of the accident, his last dying words were “Gazpacho soup.” The last living human alive, Dave Lister, found out about it, insisted on knowing why, and deviously got a confession.
He Didn’t Know
It turns out that Rimmer was once invited to have dinner at the Captain’s table, and Gazpacho was served as a starter. However, Rimmer took one taste of this cold concoction, and called up the shelf and demand that he take it back into the kitchen and heat it. During the period all of his dining companions were laughing at him while he ate his piping hot Gazpacho. Because why? He had no idea that “Gazpacho soup was served cold,” and nobody told him. He never ate at the Captain’s table again, leading him to believe that that was the end of his career, and he would never progress past being a chicken soup vending machine repair man, second class.
You can watch the interchange here on YouTube. It’s frat-boy kind of humor from 30 years ago, and you should use your own discretion if you decide to watch it at work. Depending on your company, it might invite the ire of your IT Security people if their parameters are set high. If you’re not sure, wait until you get home, or watch it on your own smartphone.
Why Do I Mention This?
One recent Saturday morning while sewing, I was watching the Barefoot Contessa make some food for a weekend barbecue. One of the things she made was this Gazpacho soup with goat cheese croutons. It was really simple, and everything was done in the food processor. First words out of my mouth were, “Gazpacho soup is served cold.” It’s a knee-jerk reaction. And then I realize, in all the years I’ve been cooking, I’ve never made Gazpacho. I don’t know why, I just never did. So, I went to Walmart, got a few ingredients, came home and made it.
Then I tried it, and asked myself, “why have I never made this before?” It taste like fresh salsa!
Please, promise me this summer that you will make this very simple and delicious recipe for Gazpacho. I’m going to make my fourth batch this week, and eat it every day. Why, in the middle of summer, wouldn’t you?
I will point out that I did not make the goat cheese croutons, primarily because I don’t eat bread, and because I know that I would never hear the end of it from BF. He has not touched the Gazpacho, and I told him that this was not for him either. I actually think he would like it, but I don’t want him touching it, anyway. If he likes it, I’ll never be able to keep it around.
The Barista Cup
So, a funny thing happened after a recent blog post. This is what happens when you practice SEO backlinking.
After I told you about Nick Usborne of Coffee Detective, and his discovery of the new Barista cup, I got an email from Elaine in the company’s marketing department. She had one question: would you like to try one?
Seriously? <Insert smiley face here>
Here’s the deal: they send me a barista cup to try out for myself and write a blog post in return with a review. I can handle that!
I was more than surprised when I got her email. In fact, I was wondering if it was a scam email. But when I did a little checking, I discovered that yes, indeed, she was telling the truth and she really was who she said she was. I sent my address so that she could send me the cup. Because the team was busy with two conferences in Europe, she said, it might be a while before I saw it. That’s OK – I just said thank you.
There were a few delays, so I emailed Elaine for an update a month or so later, and she sent it by UPS. With everything that she had going on, I certainly didn’t mind the wait and wasn’t going to complain.
The Cup Arrives
One thing I did request was anything but camouflage. There’s enough of BF’s stuff from years his in the military in this house that I don’t really need my coffee cup to blend in so I can’t find it. Besides, things get lost in the vortex around here if you’re not careful. And, as I always say, I don’t do cammo. I mean, unless I’m in a situation where I need to blend into the forest or something, I just really don’t need it. Elaine was happy to comply with my request and sent me the Komodo Dragon style, which Is a lovely blue slate color.
This box is perfect for gift-giving with just a tag, isn’t it?
There are a number of styles available, including camo, so there is something for just about everyone. If you like your camo, have at it–you can tote your coffee around in it.
Making Coffee
So what’s it like to use? Well, it’s pretty straightforward. Like anything else, it’s simple as soon as you read the directions.
The cup comes in three parts, and there are two gaskets involved to keep liquid from leaking out of it.
This is everything.
The “secret” to an instant cup of coffee without buying instant
That cup sleeve is actually heavy silicone–but it feels like a rubber tire. No kidding. Super thick, keeps your fingers and hands from getting burned, and lets everyone know what kind of cup that is.
And here is something that I’ve never seen on a travel cup before: a little drain screen to keep you from drinking the grounds with the coffee. That alone is an improvement over any other coffee cup out there.
Genius!
After you wash it completely, the process is simple. Boil your water, pour it in first:
Do this first.
Then add your coffee, sweetener, milk, or anything else you like in your coffee. Stir up a little, carefully, and then carefully screw the lid on.
And this is what you get:
Coffee!!
Now you see why the screen in the cup is so handy. You don’t ingest that at all. Again–genius!
Warning
One thing you’ll have to be careful of is not to overfill the cup. The cup lid screws on, doesn’t pop on and off. Therefore, there has to be a little bit more room to allow for that. I say this, because I’ve done it. And yes, I have spilled coffee on the counter. Fortunately, I have a very plentiful supply of dish towels.
Honestly, it’s almost like instant coffee, but tastes much better. Once you put the lid on, you can take your barista cup anywhere you want. I could have used one of these when I was working, especially at Boeing, where I was one of the few decaf drinkers. I had a French press on my desk, after seeing one of the executives have one in his office. But then I joined the coffee club, and we always had decaf coffee brewed. And of course, I had to put up with comments about “wussy coffee.” But that’s OK, I could have good coffee anytime I wanted it.
Barista Cup vs. French Press
Aficionados of the French press know that it’s a great way to make coffee, it’s ecologically friendly, and the coffee really tastes good. I still have several, and use them occasionally. However, the Barista Cup eliminates the pot part. In other words, instead of making your coffee in a pot, then pouring it into a cup, you just make the coffee in the cup. You only wash one cup, instead of a pot and a cup.
Another benefit to the Barista cup is that your coffee is always fresh. Unless you like making coffee in your regular coffee pot, the coffee will not sit around for any length of time. You’ll be making a fresh cup for each cup of your coffee.
Better Than A Pod
If you’re thinking, “But I have one of those K machines,” I bet you didn’t know that those little plastic pods are almost impossible to recycle. I know that Nespresso does the recycling thing, but the plastic K-cups are not recyclable. In fact, I found out recently that the man who invented the Keurig wished he hadn’t done it. Why? Because of the un-recyclable pods. I’ve never bought one, because I don’t like the extra trash.
Look, I’m all for new inventions and free market capitalism. But just because you can invent something, doesn’t mean we need it. Sure, the K-thing is a great convenience and makes great coffee. But the environmental impact is another matter altogether.
The Barista Cup makes great coffee, quickly, fresh every time, with whatever kind of coffee you want, and eliminates those extra little cups, too.
No, I’m not environmentalist. I just hate all that needless extra trash going to landfills.
Filters
Another advantage is that there are no filters to wash or throw away. The filter is built into the part of the cup where you drink, so you won’t adjust them. There are no other filters involved. You just empty the grounds out into your compost bin, or your trashcan if you don’t compost.
Note: if you work in the Boeing building, please do not put your grounds down the sink drain. You’ll stop up the drain and upset a number of people if you do.
Downsides
OK, you knew there had to be a downside of this cup well, I don’t really see them as a “downside,” but some of you might.
- If you start using the Barista Cup instead of your regular coffee maker, your coffee maker might feel neglected and start to complain. I do use our regular coffee pot, a small 4 cup model, when I haven’t washed the Barista Cup. But in all seriousness, your regular coffee pot may feel a bit neglected, and you may wonder why you have it after a while.
- If you’re accustomed to having a cuppa coffee waiting for you right after your alarm clock goes off and you stumble into the kitchen, having to make coffee “from scratch” may be a bit of an issue for you. After all, the purpose of having a timed coffee pot that has your coffee ready at a certain time is because you are incoherent and are very morning challenged. If this is you, you may choose to have your regular coffee pot make your 1st cup of coffee, and the Barista Cup to make the coffee that you take on the way out the door. There’s no waiting, because you literally put everything in the cup at one time. So it’s certainly a win-win situation, not really a downside.
Like Nick Usborne mentioned, think about all the coffee machines that go into landfills. The electronic parts that go into it, and the plastic that may never biodegrade. This is definitely an improvement from all the stuff that can be slowly eliminated and left out of landfills, especially the little cups.
Where Can I Get One?
So far, the Barista Cup is only available on their website. The cup is $25, and honestly, I was planning on buying myself one anyway, because it just looks like such a cool thing. It really is, and it’s worth the money you spend for it. Highly recommended.
When you buy your barista cup, it comes in a beautiful circular box:
Inside the box is, of course, your cup, plus a replacement gasket for the bottom portion. The instructions, of course, as well as three packets of their own coffee.
I’ve tried the coffee, and it is very good. However, because it’s regular coffee, it’s a little too strong for me, so I’ll have to stick with my decaf. I have not seen anywhere about the coffee is available for sale, but that may be coming later. (Then again, I may have missed it on the website.)
The Barista Cup As A Gift
So now it’s the middle of June, and we are smack dab in the middle of wedding season. If you know two coffee lovers that are getting married, this would be a great shower or wedding gift. A pair of these cups in their favorite individual colors, with a pound or two of their favorite coffee, would make a great shower or wedding gift. It would also be a great gift for any coffee lover’s birthday, any time of year.
It maybe too late to get a graduation present for someone going to college, but if you haven’t gotten a gift yet, this is an excellent time to do so. You have time to get it before they head off to classes in the fall, especially if they’re going to be doing the dorm room thing.
And if you’re the coffee lover, there’s never a bad reason to order yourself one, right?
Washing The Cup
OK, I saw one issue: the bottom of the cup says “dishwasher safe,” but the instructions say, “hand wash only.” Who’s right?
I asked Elaine to clarify, and she said that although it’s “top rack dishwasher safe,” the design may not last in the dishwasher. She recommends hand-washing, which isn’t difficult at all once you empty out the grounds. (It wouldn’t fit in the top rack of my countertop dishwasher, anyway.)
Also, I caution you not to lose the gasket out of the top of the cup, which will quietly fall out if you bang it in the trash can to remove the grounds. You’ll see what I’m talking about if it happens–that thin piece of black rubber keeps it from leaking while you drink. That is, if you screw the top on correctly. . .never mind how I know this.
I Love The Barista Cup!
Honestly, when I see something like this, I wonder: why hasn’t someone thought of this before? But we have it now, so what’s enjoy it now. It really is “a coffee machine in a cup,” and you just need hot water.
To be fair and give full disclosure, I really was graciously sent this cup in order to try it out and write a review. Like Nick Osborne says, it does the job they say it will do, you’ll use a bit less coffee, and it’s a good thing. (I would tell you if it wasn’t.) So I really can’t say anything bad about The Barista Cup, even with the “downsides” I mentioned earlier.
Many thanks to Elaine at The Barista Cup for finding my blog and offering me the chance to try this cup. I highly recommend it. And a special thank you to the gentleman who invented it, Aziz Patel, who just wanted a better way to make a cup of coffee while reducing waste in the process.
As Martha Stewart would say, it’s a good thing. Just heard my kettle boil. . . .
Enjoy!
What do you do when you want a coffee but don’t know where to go? Ask someone. I found a new coffee spot I like, French Truck Coffee. It’s a two-block walk from the New Orleans Buddhist Center although there are multiple locations. Boy, I’m glad I asked!
Hello, Again, Dear Readers:
Here’s another post about coffee–good coffee. If you’re like BF and don’t drink it, well, pass it along to someone who does. Especially if they’re heading to New Orleans anytime soon.
On Strike
Y’all, last week I’d had about enough of it. I told BF I would no longer cook for him, and so far, I haven’t. I made the Citrus Spice Chicken recipe I covered a few years ago, but I shouldn’t have bothered. BF didn’t like it–said it tasted “sour.”
Oh, and to make matters worse, he also wouldn’t try cauliflower rice I’d made with it. I blitzed up a whole, organic cauliflower in a food processor, and cooked it in a big cast iron skillet with butter, olive oil and the Paula Deen House Seasoning I make and keep around–delicious. Nope–wouldn’t touch it, even after telling me, “I’ll try anything you make.” I reminded him of this, and he was undeterred.
He barely ate the Knorr “four cheese risotto” from a package that isn’t a real risotto, because it doesn’t have arborio rice. (I’ve made risotto before.) I called it “cheesy rice,” and the dogs ate most of it.
After that incident, I haven’t cooked anything for him since. Nada. Nuffin’. He ate a bowl of cereal last night, and has cooked food once. Last time he made “red beans and rice,” with red beans from cans, I took a taste and was unimpressed. (I will eat it occasionally, just to be nice, and he puts sausage in it.) When he wasn’t looking, I grabbed that bottle of Tabasco Sriracha Sauce from the pantry, opened it, and went once around the pot. Mixed it in really well. It was about a tablespoon, I think, in that big pot. Now THAT tasted good!
I know, I know. . .but I’m on strike for a while, darnit.
Coffee In The Crescent City
One of the many things I always told people in Houston is that if they were going to New Orleans, don’t go to Starbucks for a coffee if you can help it. Find a local coffee chain–any one will do–and go there. Much as I’m a fan of Starbucks, local chains like PJ’s Coffee and CC’s Coffee (Community Coffee’s retail chain) are even better. (I also discovered that there is a PJ’s in the Conroe Medical Center, north of Houston. That was a surprise.)
Another place is Orleans Coffee, where I’ve ordered delicious flavored decaf coffee from many times while I lived in Texas. (Because decaf chocolate raspberry is hard to find.) They used to have a little cafe in the Quarter, but after Katrina and all that, they now have two cafes, and I don’t know where they are.
Well, I found another one, and I was able to visit again before the April activity.
Arriving Early
When I go to New Orleans for a Buddhist activity, I leave as early as I can, at least 90 minutes before I want to be there. That way, if there’s traffic, or a diversion, I have time. Sometimes I hit Trader Joe’s for non-perishable items before the meeting, then head elsewhere after the meeting.
For the November activity, the E Man told me to do my shopping afterwards this particular Sunday, not before. The Saints were having a game, and some kind of tailgating thing, so it would be better to get there early and shop later.
I get off the freeway at the St. Charles exit, and I’m more than an hour early. Driving a little on St. Charles in a half-ton pickup is a bit of a pain (I miss my Saturn.) So I park it and ask one of the guys outside where to get a coffee. They’re the guys that hang around outside and help with traffic management and getting people inside safely. Since it was looking like rain this particular day, they were armed with umbrellas.
He looks up at his phone and tells me that there’s a shop about a two-block walk from the Buddhist Center via Erato Street. I don’t quite know where I’m going, so I’m walking cautiously in my flats with my purse tightly under my arm. (It’s November, so of course, it’s warm this day in NOLA.)
But it wasn’t that far. I carefully crossed the street twice, and saw this on Magazine Street:
A small building with great coffee
Neat little place. I walked in, and of course, the smell is awesome:
I talked to this man to order my coffee
And I walked around and took a few pictures while I waited because for decaf, they do a pour-over:
Oh, boy!
If you’re hungry, they’ve got you covered with croissants and things:
These look delicious
I did ask about the “Yankee Apple Hand Pies” in the bottom left of that picture and asked if they had many Yankees come in. He didn’t know, and I said, “Well, we can’t get rid of the Yankees in Texas.” No comment. . . .
This is a coffee bag that they framed. Love it!
The burlap bag is just one of the many pieces of coffee-related art on the wall by the counter
I waited a few minutes and had a sip of water from the big jar they put out with cups. But of course, I forgot to get a picture of that. And they also serve lunch or something:
This is their menu, which I’m sure is available every day
This map of where all the coffees come from is interesting. (Yes, that’s me snapping a pic like a tourist.)
They were busy that Sunday, so I had a wait while I watched them go at it behind the counter. When they called my name and handed me that coffee. . .mmmmmm. . .oh, yes, definitely worth it. Freshly roasted coffee, freshly brewed.
Highly recommended!
They Have Multiple Locations
French Truck Coffee has six locations, including two on Magazine Street, with two more coming. They also sell their delicious coffees in local grocery stores like Rouse’s. What? You’re not near a Rouse’s? You can order it, too. They also have a page so you can learn to brew your coffee at home.
The company is all about freshly roasted coffee, as the founder describes here on their web page. Honestly, it’s what Starbucks wishes it could be, or maybe used to be. French Truck Coffee is smooth and delicious. I haven’t bought any in the store yet, but that may happen soon if I can find the decaf.
If you’re planning a trip to the Crescent City, find one of these. You won’t be sorry.
When I went before the April activity. . .there was a big chicken walking around Erato Street. At 9:00 am. A CHICKEN in the middle of the street. I hope the owner found it before someone with a pot did.
On The Way Home
I lost track of The E Man, and so I tried to get into Trader Joe’s. No parking is available! Well, I ended up getting everything I needed across the street at the huge Rouses on Veterans.
As I hopped onto I-10 West, I was just listening to my music and driving. Until I got outside of Kenner, past the airport, on my way to I-55. . .and I saw that I-10 East was backed up. WAY Up. Like, way past the I-55 exit backed up.
Anytime The E Man tells me what to avoid, I generally listen. Boy was he right. Thanks, Dude!
Other Local Coffees
I’ve also been buying this other local brand of ground coffee for every day:
Made in Covington, New Orleans Roast is also available at Rouse’s
More about the company
And of course, the brand that’s also available in Houston:
Both are used in the pot and in the iced coffee maker.
And on a recent morning when we found ourselves with no power, I packed up my laptop and spent most of the day working at the local PJ’s, where they had Internet. Well, they were very nice, and I drank some coffee and had a yogurt parfait.
I’ve done this on many occasions at the Hammond Starbucks, where they are also very nice. Before we had Internet, and BF was sent to another work location, I got on Google Maps and found the closest Starbucks. Most were within 2 miles of his workplace. I drank fresh coffee all day, worked in a new place, and we were both happy.
Additionally, PJ’s also offers military and veterans discounts. So now BF likes PJ’s even more, and he likes some of the tasty things they have there. He still won’t try coffee, but he now sees that there is nothing bad about him going into a coffee shop. They have things even he might even enjoy!
Happy Easter!
This weekend is the “bunny holiday,” also known as Easter. Yes, I know what Easter is really all about, but popular media simply shows us bunnies and chocolate. If there is a chocolate bunny made with sugar-free chocolate, I’ll indulge, but I’m sure my chocolate will be the regular sugar-free stuff. We may go visit BF’s father, maybe not.
The Goddess of the Slow Cooker, Stephanie O’Dea, sent out an email last week offering Easter recipes for the slow cooker. And why not?
For all you Texans, know that HEB will be closed. . .but I think Kroger may be open.
Whatever you do, have a great holiday weekend.
Enjoy!
Frozen pizza: two words I never thought I would agree with. But there are healthier versions of it available now, and I’m very glad I found it.
Hi, again, Dear Readers:
I’m still enjoying the chorizo, but like the sweet potatoes and hummus butter, BF still won’t touch it. Good thing, because then I’d never get any. Friend of the blog AK lives way up in Idaho. When I posted a picture of it on Facebook with some scrambled eggs on top, she replied, “Would you please come visit and bring your culinary skills with you?” Honestly, I haven’t gone anywhere in a while, and still haven’t made it back to visit Houston yet.
Allergy update: the honey and stuff worked for a while, but I’m back to needing nasal spray and tissues. Too much sugar! I’ve purchased some heavier-duty allergen air filters for the HVAC and will be looking for a small, inexpensive air purifier to suck up the pollen and other allergens in here. If it works out, I’ll see about getting bigger one later for the whole house, or a couple for rooms.
In other news, the lovable pussy-cat pit bull is now 75 pounds. I swear, he’ll roll over and purr one of these days.
An Attempt At Backlinks
I got an email from Joan at TipsBulletin about cleaning and sealing granite, quartz and other countertops. If you’re interested, and you have these kinds of fancy-dancy countertops, here you go. The countertops here are what I would call “vintage Formica,” and is what you find the most in this part of the country.
New Favorite Frozen Pizza
How did we get to this point when Amy approves of frozen pizza? Like the tamales, it was an accident. I was walking through the Rouse’s in Hammond looking for something or other, and literally looked over and found this:
Seriously? With Pepperoni?
Cauliflower crust pizza! Low carb! Healthy! How did I miss this? Immediately, I grabbed one and put it in my basket. Having made one or two “regular” types in my life, I knew how to cook it:
When I took off the plastic, I arranged the slices nicely
Didn’t take long, and I had some lunch. Taste? DELICIOUS! No kidding, and I ended up eating. . .the entire pizza. Admittedly, I was really hungry, and it’s not a HUGE pizza.
Cooks up nicely but the picture isn’t so good.
What does it taste like? Very tasty, and everything you want a pizza to be.
Our Valentine’s Day
For a handful of reasons, I told BF what I wanted for Valentine’s Day—dinner at home and a nice movie to watch. That means nothing with the words “alien,” “predator,” “blood,” “killer,” etc. I picked out a movie that I thought we could both enjoy: the animated movie called Sgt. Stubby. It tells the story of a little pup that *might have accidentally* joined the US Army in WWI. He actually went to war with his owner and was in France on the front lines. It did involve war, but is “kid-friendly,” so it satisfied BF’s need for that.
Because he was a dog, he had a very high-tuned hearing that could pick up incoming missiles before the humans could. It also helped to save an entire French village from a gas attack. When his owner and French counterpart took shelter in a barn, they realized there was no gas mask for Stubby, so the Frenchman wet a small cloth and put it over his face. He survived just fine, and the people in the village were so happy, they constructed a canine-fitted gas mask for Stubby.
Awwww. . . .
You can read more about this amazing doggie here, and the DVD is widely available.
Dinner For Two
Because Valentine’s Day can be fraught with peril for many who want “the perfect” day/night/whatever, I figured frozen pizza would be right up BF’s alley, and somewhat controllable.
So for me, it was Caulipower. For BF, it was his typical Red Baron:
Yes, this is still BF’s favorite
White flour crust and all, and it cooks up just like he likes it:
BF is happy with this
And I had mine. Together we watched the movie, had some delicious pizza of our choosing, and it went pretty well.
But BF still won’t taste the Caulipower pizza! (He says I haven’t tried to kill him in a while.)
Ingredients
So what’s in these? You can see the ingredient list for the uncured pepperoni version here. Not only is it gluten free, it’s low carb, because it doesn’t have a lot of high-carb ingredients that are common in gluten free products. Remember, there’s gluten free, and there’s “gluten-free.”
There is a whole listing of these products, and you can also buy a box of two plain pizza crusts, which friend of the blog MJ in Houston buys frequently.
I don’t know how I missed this. . .but I’m glad I found them, finally. Right up there with frozen tamales, although I’m more apt to eat one of these than fool with a few tamales.
Haven’t Tried It Yet
I’ve seen and heard about cauliflower pizzas for a while, and Ree Drummond has used several recipes on her show. You can find these recipes here, on The Food Network’s site.
It is a bit of trouble, and a tad messy, but that never stopped me before. I’ll have to try it one of these days for myself, BF optional.
Why haven’t I done this before? I dunno. . .I like cauliflower, and all, but it’s one of those things I just haven’t gotten around to trying yet. It’s not like I have a lot of taste testers here. . .and BF is a fussbudget about it. He also doesn’t like cauliflower, but I’m thinking he never had *good* cauliflower, either. Guess I need to break out one of those frozen crusts from the freezer and make him a pizza waffle again soon.
More Flour Foibles       Â
As if there wasn’t enough reasons to quit eating white flour, here’s more on the subject from the Living Traditionally blog. Anya has some interesting information on a lot of health subjects, including the dreaded soy. She also talks a lot about wheatgrass and collagen, but also has some generally good health information about a lot of everyday things.
A Third Option
A week later, I was walking around our local Walmart, breaking a 12-month personal boycott, and found another cauliflower crust pizza:
What’s this stuff?
It was a little more than the Caulipower, and it looked like it was bigger.
Looks to be the same
Well, the box was. So I bought it, and anticipated a delicious lunch. “Anticipate” being the operative word here. Looks good, with more pepperoni on top:
Just like the other type, sort of
Into the toaster oven with it, and when it came out, I cut it with BF’s round pizza knife into 8 (or was it 10?) slices:
And let it cool a little, since there’s nothing worse than a burn from hot pizza, folks. But this pizza burned, even when following the directions on the box, which were similar to the Caulipower.
Not so RealGood
Verdict: C-. It’s OK, but it’s not really very good. Tasted like the Chef Boyardee variety my Mom used to make in the 1970’s. If you’re suddenly thinking, “hey, I remember those!” You can actually still buy them, no kidding. But it just tastes like a cheap imitation of Caulipower Pizzas. Had I not tried the Caulipower, I might have liked the RealGood better. But I don’t. Only if you’re in need of a pizza and can’t get anything else should you try this one.
Ready For Healthy?
I’ve bought Caulipower locally at both Walmart and Rouse’s, and I’m sure they’re available at HEB, Kroger and other big grocery stores. There’s a locator on their website, so you should be able to find it easily.
If you’ve not tried the Caulipower version yet, I highly recommend it. (If you try the other version, you’re on your own there.)
Happy Dining!
