Blog Posts

The Newest Brewery to hit NOLA!

June 2, 2017

Hey Hey Hey! I know it has been a long time since my last check in but I am back with a vengeance with a very special Blog post! We all know I am madly in love with New Orleans and we all know I love new opportunities for something unique and new in my beloved city! Readers and Subscribers I would like to introduce to you a new venture that embodies both of these in the PARLEAUX Beer Lab!

(The newly renovated Building at 634 Lesseps St)

I recently has the opportunity to set down with the owners of the newest brewery in NOLA. Leah and Eric Jensen are about to celebrate the grand opening of “Parleaux Beer Lab” in the heart of the Bywater.

I consider both Eric and Leah locals as they easily pass my 10 year NOLA native test. (I jokingly tell people all the time you have to be here 10 years for me to consider you a local, it takes 5 years to even “Get it” and another 5 years to fall in love with it.)

I was invited to come and check out the new place for a sneak preview of the property they took ownership of a little over a year ago and interviewed these young entrepreneurs about their challenges and victories in making their dreams a reality. The end result I will simply say, you must see for yourself. It is everything you would look for in a classic New Orleans watering hole. The space which Eric describes as “Bywater Chic” has a ton of those rustic elements and touches that immediately make you feel welcome.

As you walk through the main brewhouse you will immediately sense that they took the time and effort to honor the space using elements from the historic past and blending it perfectly with the modern equipment that a commercial brewhouse needs. It really upsets me when developers don’t pay attention to the inherent character of a structure or even a neighborhood as they follow the national trend to make everything look shiny and new. But I digress.

(100 year old reclaimed windows that have survived Hurricanes Katrina, Betsy, & Camille, originally from the owners home, provide the perfect backdrop for the Craft Beer menu)

This brewery takes pride with their personal interaction with patrons as well as the community and will challenge what you think you like or don’t like about beer. You would be surprised how many people do not quite realize how different a true craft beer is from the massed produced products you find at convenience stores. The flavors and strength can range so widely that Eric (The Brewmaster along with his Assistant Brewer and new buddy Chuck) prides himself on always offering an ever changing menu of beer that has introduced the wine and cocktail crowd into the pleasure of a nice brew that suits your personal pallet.

(Owners Eric & Leah Jensen sharing some Food 4 Thought)

Food 4 Thought- I asked the couple separately what piece of advice they would give to anyone thinking of starting a new venture, project and any dream they have always had. Eric strokes his beard pondering the question and says “Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith” huge words as we sit in the brewery ready for all the waves that this endeavor will certainly bring. While Leah simply points at the sign handing over the brewing well and says “Just do it and ‘Trust the process’” When you hit those snags you have to trust the process! I really like these two!

(Leah’s “Trust the Process” Sign)

So come out and support these New Orleanians as they take a leap of faith to make New Orleans a more interesting place one beer at a time! The brewery is friendly and welcoming to all things – families, parties, food (they often have pop-ups and food trucks), and even puppy friendly, so there really is no bad time to stop by, have a drink or at least meet the staff!

Who knows, you may run into your favorite New Orleans Food blogger there sipping a refreshing pint of Gosa!!!

I couldn’t resist adding this one of Leah being silly! Remind us all, that if you’re not having fun, you aren’t doing it right.

Until next time! Food (& Great Beer) is Love!

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Chef Tuck

Creole Red Beans & Rice Recipe

August 30, 2016

My on Again & off Again Love Affair with Red Beans and Rice

Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, says New Orleans living to me like a giant pot of Creole red beans and rice. Throw me in a hunk of corn bread for good measure and you will be left with an extremely happy man! It is the definition of comfort food to us New Orleans folk. Eating red beans on a Monday is one of those things that makes me feel that all is right with the world.

Why red beans and rice on Monday you ask?? Well, tradition in these parts holds that Monday was the family’s laundry day. The family would be preoccupied scrubbing the family clothes clean and hanging them out on a clothesline to dry. Yes! We had a clothesline in our back yard where my grandmother would hang up the freshly washed clothes and let the sun do it’s magic. We did eventually acquire a clothes drier, but Ma-Dea still put her clothes outside to dry! But I digress…

With the hustle and bustle of Monday laundry there was a need for food that could be cooked without much time and attention. Red beans fit the bill. Usually made in a gigantic stockpot, it only needs stirring once every hour or so. You go about your day unhampered by the demands of a hot kitchen, and end up with an inexpensive and delicious dinner. My own recipe has evolved into an even simpler process by using a crockpot that you can set when you leave for work in the morning, ready to serve when you return home.

Some kids grow up eating a lot of mac and cheese. Growing up in NOLA, we ate a LOT of red beans and rice… and when I say a lot I mean we ate an insane amount! By my crude estimate, I had eaten red beans and rice for dinner well over 1000 times by my 18^th birthday. The recipe makes more than you will likely need and freezes extremely well, so my mother was a big fan of thawing them out again for dinner on a Wednesday (Arrgggggggg… just had a flashback). You can imagine that by the time I started college I literally never wanted to see another plate of red beans. But after I moved onto campus a strange thing happened… I started to miss red beans and rice. By the time I graduated from college I actually craved the dish! In hindsight, I think there is an initial tendency to avoid anything you were forced to eat that much of as a child. But after all… that familiarity, mixed with the nostalgic memories of simpler times is what makes comfort food so comforting. It’s as if it becomes a part of our genetic makeup.

So I began pestering my mom and aunties for their recipes. Each was slightly different and gradually I developed my own. I work insane hours, so stirring a pot, even infrequently, was not feasible. Not to mention, leaving a pot on an open flame while out of the home is frowned up by the New Orleans Fire Department. So to avoid burning down the house, I developed a recipe suitable for a slow cooker… and while I was tweaking, I went ahead and made it low fat and high flavor!

This guilt free treat is packed with protein and fiber, gluten free, and can easily be modified for vegans. You can and should enjoy this dish no matter where you are in the world! However, there is one caveat I must tell you that I have absolutely no explanation for… for some reason red beans and rice always tastes better on a Monday! Bon Appetite!

Enjoy your culinary creation, show me your pictures on snapchat or Instagram, and PLEASE don’t force your kids to eat this twice a week!

Food is Love,

-Chef Tuck-

Red Beans & Rice

Created by The Diesel on August 30, 2016

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 7h
Total Time: 7h 30m

Serves: 12

Ingredients

1 pound Dried red kidney beans, rinsed
1 Large onion, diced
1 Large bell pepper, diced
1 cup Celery, diced (optional)
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1/2 pound Pickled pork, sliced thin
1 pound Turkey sausage, sliced thin (Andouille sausage for more traditional Beans)
1/4 cup Tony Chachers seasoning, stirring in slowly stirring and tasting to gauge spice
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
3 Bay leaf, whole (Optional)
4 cups Rice, cooked to package directions

Instructions

Add 7 Cups of Water into your slow cooker and place on high.
Coat a medium saucepan with non-stick cooking spray to saute your minced Garlic, Bell Pepper, Onion & Celery. Sauté until lightly browned as this browning will release the flavors from the vegetables.
Slice Sausage and Pickled Pork. Sauté over medium heat for 6-7 minutes.
Add all of the ingredients (except rice) into the slow cooker.
Give the concoction a pretty good stir, change your slow cooker setting to low, put the lid on, and forget about it for 6-8 hours! (Feel Free to stir if you happen to come home on your lunch break)
Before you serve scoop out 1 cup of the cooked red beans into a bowl. Using a fork, mash the beans into a thick paste. Stir this paste mixture back into the crockpot to give your red beans a smooth and creamy texture.
Serve with Rice, garnish & enjoy!

Of course the Slow Cooker Liners are optional but they will save you a lot of cleanup time

Turkey sausage & pickled pork

Sliced turkey sausage

Sliced pickled pork & creole seasoning blend

All in the slow cooker

It’s January, is it time to Garden already ?!?!

February 2, 2016

When you walk through Home Depot (A man’s version of a Toys R Us) in January you don’t expect to see juvenile tomato plants! Jeez Home depot really!? its January! I guess some lucky folks have greenhouses and they can get started on spring crops early, but certainly not me. #urbangardnerproblems

But the plants did get me thinking about my Earthboxes. I currently have 6! Is the year I invest in 2 more?? and what Herbs and Veggies am I gonna plant this year? Will I start them from seed!? Is this the year I finally conquer the elusive Cherokee Purple tomato plant? To all of my Gardeners out there it may not be time to start planting…but it certainly is time to start thinking about it.

Mardi Gras Mambo…Down in New Orleans

February 2, 2016

Well folks, it’s that time of year again! Yep Tomorrow is officially Mardi Gras in New Orleans!

This time of year always brings me back to my childhood. As with all things in life there good and there is bad, but one would be no good without the other. You know the whole sunshine and rain things that singers always sing about.

Here are a few pictures I snapped while out and about this Mrdi Gras Season. This is my just learning to use all of the fancy camera settings that mean absolutely nothing to me (yet).

If you have ever been to Mardi Gras what was your absolute most favorite thing about it? If you are from NOLA what was your favorite thing about Mardi Gras as a kid?

For me, it was running around as a kiddo search for that ever elusive Popeyes Doubloon!!! Do they even still make those? If not, they defiantly need to bring it back ASAP! Grown folks going Crazy over a free 2 Piece at Popeyes! HAHA Good times for real!

Y’all Be Easy & Be Safe