It's Gumbo Season!
It’s COOLinary Time Again, New Orleans
Time to dine at Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar, Evangeline, Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse, and so many more!
7 Best Barbeque Joints in New Orleans
If you don’t know anyone who knows their way around a grill or are simply in NOLA on vacation, don’t worry! Good barbeque is not hard to find in this city, so be sure to check out any of these restaurants for your grilled and saucy fix.
A Taste of NOLA: Doberge Cake
Doberge cake didn’t come to New Orleans; it was born here.
Hey, Y’all! It’s National Shrimp Day
Every year on May 10th, America honors its most-loved seafood, shrimp. Yep, of all the seafood we eat in the US, we eat shrimp the most.
Five Delicious Ways to Celebrate Cinco-de-Mayo in NOLA
This May 5th, make your way to one of these hot spots for some delicious Mexican cuisine and inspired cocktails.
It's Crawfish Season in New Orleans
If you're spending your vacation in NOLA, you might refer to these small crustaceans as crayfish, mudbugs, or crawdads, but if you're a Louisiana native or local, it's 100% crawfish.
The Sweet Side of New Orleans
Some of NOLA's classic desserts include things like bananas foster, bread pudding, and of course, the ever-popular beignets.
New Orleans Thanksgiving: Add Some Remoulade
Whether it’s a starter of oyster soup, a side of jambalaya, or a delicious remoulade sauce to top off your favorite dish, you’re sure to have more than enough to eat when you celebrate Thanksgiving NOLA style.
Tips for a Safer Holiday Gathering
If you choose to get together with family and friends this holiday season, ensure you follow these helpful tips to do so as safely as possible.
Are You Ready To Fall for New Orleans?
Whether you’re a seasoned visitor, staycation-loving local, or a first-timer to the Big Easy, you’re sure to fall for NOLA when you stay in the heart of the city.
Dining in New Orleans During COVID-19
A closer look at COOLinary participants: The Bower, The Commissary, Annunciation Restaurant, and Coterie Restaurant and Oyster Bar
COOLinary in August Keeps Cooking in New Orleans
COVID-19 has changed how we do things in New Orleans, but it definitely hasn’t changed the fact that the Big Easy has some of the most incredible cuisine on the planet. For years, NOLA has been indulging in a fabulous culinary tradition to support local restaurants during the slow summer months, known as COOLinary.
Guide to Crawfish Season in New Orleans
Crawfish is a staple of Louisiana culture and cuisine, and its peak season is early March through mid-June. Crawfish boils and fests celebrate the mini lobster in all its forms, whether as etouffee, pie or boiled.
Gumbo is consumed year-round in Louisiana, but it really hits the spot when the temperatures are a little cooler. Made of a mix of protein, whether from the sea or land, a thick roux, and the “holy trinity” of all Louisiana cuisine – celery, bell pepper and onion – many compare gumbo’s mix of ingredients to the complexity of the south.
Gumbo is certainly a hodge-podge of cultures, made up of the culinary pickings from across the globe. “Gumbo” comes from the African Bantu word for okra, “nkombo.” Gumbo is typically thickened with either okra or filé. Never heard of filé? It’s a Native American cooking powder, made up of dried and ground sassafras leaves. Then there’s the roux, which comes from France and other places in Central Europe.
Best of all, there’s no “right way” to make gumbo. Gumbo’s just about as ambiguous as food comes. You can make it with sausage and chicken, duck, squirrel, or rabbit. Or, make it a seafood gumbo, with shrimp, crawfish, crab meat, and fish. You can toss in andouille sausage. Make a vegetarian gumbo, or a vegan gumbo if you feel compelled. It can be thick or thin. It’s versatile for any palette and best served with rice.
Want to eat like a local? Read our blog, your guide for the best New Orleans eats.