If I lived in New Orleans, I would be big as a house

Café du Monde starts serving people at 8am. The take-out line for coffee and beignets stretched out the door. I was 7 minutes early. While I waited for a table a street musician played the theme from Beverly Hillbillies on his guitar. He saw me smiling and rifted through it again. When the staff started taking the chairs off the tables, I chose one close to the street. I ordered world-famous coffee and beignets. (a single serving has 3) Waiting for my order ($7 with tip) I watched a worker across the street hose down the sidewalk. The artists were setting up on Jackson Square. The tourists trickled in. The guitarist started to play Hey Jude. Munching my beignets I joked with a table full of men next to me about the fried dough thing. Ever culture has them. “These taste exactly like zeppoles,” one guy said. “The only thing different is the shape.” I nodded, it was true. On my way out of the restaurant, the guitarist looked up and winked, “Is your name Beverly?” he asked. I tossed some coins in his spittoon.

New Orleans is known for its colorful characters and its food. Some of the most famous chefs have restaurants here. In addition to Cajun fare and traditional Louisiana cuisine, the city also has fabulous ethnic food. An article in a local magazine touts Asian food particularly Vietnamese. While I love all ethnic food, in New Orleans I want Cajun food...Crawfish Etoufee, Jambalaya, Catfish blazingly hot from the giant bottle of Tabasco on the table, gulf shrimp in any form, broiled oysters. And for dessert…bananas foster.

The other interesting quirk about the French Quarter is the go-cup. You can stop at any open air bar and order a drink to go. I cannot tell you the number of people strolling the streets with sweating cups of mango daiquiris, beers or Hurricanes in hand. Not that I would do that, of course…. ;)

Alas, I have not had the opportunity to eat out much. Food has been offered at the conference and I have been working. But I hope to get out for dinner tonight. It is my last night in town

Morning Coffee

“Catherine, you are an idiot!”

The voice rose above the morning din of the outdoor restaurant. There was a hush as all eyes turned to see what was happening. Yvonne glanced over at the table in the back where the shouting had originated. She and Marion had patiently stood in line and now were shimmying their way to a small un-cleared table. Café Du Monde was crowded as usual. As they waited for the waitress to stop by, Yvonne looked at the plate of beignets that were left on the table. She was hungry and they looked good. She considered taking one. They did not look like they had been touched. Or at least one look untouched. Marion put her hand over Yvonne’s.

“Don’t even think about it!” she hissed.

“What?!?!?!?” Yvonne tried to look hurt.

“You were going to eat one from that dirty plate.”

“Was not.”

The waitress appeared next to the table and gathered the tray full of used paper plates and empty cups.

“What can I get for y’all?”

“Two Café au Lait and some beignets.”

The waitress scurried off to place their order and wait on other tables. Yvonne and Marion sat in silence trying to listen to the street musicians that were being drowned out by the ruckus in the back.

“Catherine why do you always do these things?”

Yvonne looked over again. A woman was looking around her chair and under the table. Her companion was standing red in the face. She gave up whisked her sweater off the chair in defeat only to discover her handbag slung over the back. The man nodded, walked away from her jostling people on his way to the entrance. She followed behind with a tight smile.

The waitress re-appeared carrying a green tray with their coffee and powdered sugar laden donuts.

“Welcome to New Orleans. Enjoy.”

Thoughts after a writing workshop where the word was New Orleans and in anticipation of a business trip in May.