Louisiana Eats

In 1983, the Louisiana legislature named crawfish as the official state crustacean. In 2008, they proclaimed the Sazerac as New Orleans' official cocktail. And on June 1, 2024, Billy Nungesser, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana, proclaimed Blue Plate Mayonnaise to be the official mayo of poor boy sandwiches. On this week's show, we explore some other essential poor boy ingredients.

We begin with the story of the first poor boy loaf ever baked from the inventor's grandson and great-grandson, John and Jason Gendusa. The Gendusa family bakery has been inextricably tied to that famous New Orleans sandwich since 1929.

Next, Sandy Whann of Leidenheimer Baking Company shares the story of his family's bakery which dates back to 1896. We also speak with his son William Whann, who is carrying on the family business.

Finally, we have a taste of Chisesi Brothers and hear the delicious story of their 100-plus year-old family history from fifth generation Nicholas Chisesi and his octogenarian dad, Philip.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On February 5th of this year, Steve Himelfarb, a longtime fixture in New

Orleans' food scene and Louisiana Eats producer, passed away at the age of

61 following a battle with cancer. On this week's show, we remember our

friend and colleague by bringing you extended versions of two interviews

with him over the years. We also speak with sound engineer and producer Lu

Rojas, who shares stories of Steve's esteemed music career.

With a unique history reaching back centuries, Louisiana is a state that lends itself to storytelling. On this week's show, we're joined by two historians to get the true stories behind some common myths and misconceptions. And sandwiched between them, we speak with two authors of historical fiction whose books make our state's past come alive.

We begin with journalist and food historian Lolis Eric Elie, who talks about the true origins of New Orleans' Creole food, and the often-overlooked African contributions.

Next, we speak with Elisa Speranza, author of "The Italian Prisoner." Elisa was inspired to write her debut novel after hearing stories of Italian POWs housed in New Orleans during World War II. After Italy switched sides in 1943, these former enemies became part of the American war effort and the city's makeup.

Then, legendary Louisiana storyteller Glen Pitre joins us. He reveals the role that food plays in his historical novel, "Advice for the Wicked,” which takes place in Southern Louisiana at the turn of the 20th century.

Finally, we hear the surprising true story behind New Orleans' classic confection, the praline, from culinary historian Rien Fertel.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

New Orleans began her love affair with coffee three centuries ago. Any local of a certain age can remember the grown-ups of their childhood spending hours around the kitchen table drinking a strong French roast blended with chicory. This week we sit down with a cup of coffee and some folks who can tell us the story of coffee in New Orleans.

First, Patrick Brennan, of the famous Brennan restaurant clan, talks about leaving the family business to strike out on his own in the artisan coffee market. Patrick tells us about Congregation Coffee, his roasting business and Algiers Point neighborhood coffee shop.

Next, we hear from Suzanne Stone and David Feldman, as we take a deep dive into their book, New Orleans Coffee: A Rich History. They tell the story of coffee in the Crescent City, which came to the forefront in the late 1700s.

Finally, we chat with graphic artist Sharon Dunn Dinkins Dymond, who, in the 1970s, discovered a cache of 19th- and early 20th-century product labels that tell the tale of New Orleans’ early love affair with coffee. She reproduces the beautiful, chromolithographed labels on postcards and ceramic serving ware for her company, Fabled Labels.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

This week, Louisiana Eats takes you to the Williams Research Center for the Historic New Orleans Collection's 2024 Food Forum, where host Poppy Tooker moderated a panel discussion that delved into the fascinating stories of three of the city's most enduring restaurants – all family-owned and -operated for generations.

On the panel was Lisa Blount, representing Antoine's, the longest continuously operating family-owned restaurant in the nation. Lisa is marketing and menu development director of the 185-year-old eatery, as well as the wife of fifth-generation proprietor, Rick Blount. She tells us about the women and men who kept the business in operation through several generations and what she is doing now to preserve their legacy.

Also part of the discussion was Ralph Brennan, third-generation owner of the French Quarter institution, Brennan's, as well as four other restaurants. Ralph explains what inspired him to keep Brennan's in business when it was on the verge of closing. He also describes the circumstances that led him to take over The Napoleon House, an even older restaurant institution in the Vieux Carré. While he made some necessary updates to the building, they were designed not to be seen by a customer base who would have balked at the idea of the restaurant changing in the slightest.

Rounding out the panel was Executive Chef Edgar "Dook" Chase, IV, who carries on the legacy of his grandmother Chef Leah Chase, as the fourth-generation proprietor of the over 80-year-old Dooky Chase Restaurant. He tells us about how he's keeping his family's legacy alive while giving newer generations an opportunity to move forward.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

New Orleans is one of the oldest cities in America, but its acclaimed cuisine is hardly stuck in the past. Today, the local food scene is bolder, more diverse, and more inventive than ever. That’s what food writer Beth D'Addono discovered when researching her latest publication, "City Eats: New Orleans." Offering an extensive overview of the local restaurant landscape, the book also provides over 50 recipes from the Big Easy's top chefs. Beth joins us to discuss this talented new guard of chefs and restaurateurs – many who found their footing during the pandemic.

Then, we dig into two restaurants featured in Beth’s book. From Addis NOLA, we hear from Dr. Biruk Alemayehu and Prince Lobo, the mother-and-son team bringing their authentic Ethiopian dining experience to historic Bayou Road. That includes injera bread and honey wine that have been served in the Horn of Africa for thousands of years.

Finally, we take a field trip to the kitchen of GW Fins, an upscale seafood restaurant in the French Quarter, where we learn about Chef Michael Nelson's innovative work with dry-aging fish. The result is an elevated dish that is denser, more tender, and more flavorful.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

Home. That’s a hard word to define. Is home a place? A person? A sense of belonging? On this week's show, we speak with chefs who have traveled great distances, literally and figuratively, to discover their own sense of home.

We begin with Alon Shaya. In his book, "Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel," the award-winning chef frankly and unabashedly tells his life's story. From a lonely childhood to the mean streets of Philadelphia where he was a feared teenage drug dealer, to the salvation and purpose he found in cooking, Alon tells all.

We also speak with Chef David Slater, who heads Emeril Lagasse's culinary operation. After growing up in Toronto, Canada, David found his heart's home right here in Louisiana.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's Louisiana Eats, we're traveling down south to Argentina! In November 2023, host Poppy Tooker made the long trek to Buenos Aires, where she discovered a cosmopolitan city that sometimes felt like Paris and sometimes seemed like Manhattan.

We begin with a tour of the city's San Telmo neighborhood with American expat and food writer Allie Lazar. She takes us for empanadas served up by Don Beto at El Gauchito and to the famous San Telmo market.

Then, we meet celebrity chef Narda Lepes. If you can imagine a food activist in the style of Chez Panisse's Alice Waters, combined with the hungry wanderlust of Anthony Bourdain – there you have Narda Lepes! Indisputably one of the top female chefs in Latin America, she is well known for her cookbooks; award-winning, long-running food and travel TV series; and flagship restaurant, Narda Comedor.

And we sit down at the Bosch Palace with then United States Ambassador to Argentina Marc Stanley for a Texan's point of view on the food and life in Argentina.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

From "Cardoons" to "Misbeliefs," "Huckabucks" to "Second Lines" – the Big Easy has a lingo all its own, built on generations of immigrants finding their way to the port of New Orleans, the French Quarter, and finally a life in this city. For centuries, Africans, Southeast Asians, Europeans, and Caribbean Islanders have worked to make a home here, resulting in the hodgepodge of culture New Orleans is today. On this week's show, we examine two immigrant groups who loom large in the story of the Crescent City.

With begin with historian Justin Nystrom, who discusses the influence that Sicilian Americans have had on our city's foodways. Surprisingly, that influence didn't begin with the heavy influx of Sicilians who populated the city during the late 1880s, but with a first wave of Italian immigrants who arrived on our shores in the 1830s.

Then, Liz Williams joins us with memories of her Sicilian grandmother, Nana Elisabetta, who arrived in the Crescent City at the age of 18. Liz's book, "Nana's Creole Italian Table," is filled with recipes and family lore.

Finally, we sit down with Tulane History Professor Laura Kelley. Her book, "The Irish in New Orleans," tells the history of Irish immigrants in the Crescent City and how they shaped Louisiana culture in some unexpected ways.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

In the late 1800s, industrialization carried the United States into a new era – one of great wealth and elaborate lifestyles for those at the top. It was frequent New Orleans visitor Mark Twain who coined the term the "Gilded Age," which would later be associated with this time of conspicuous consumption. This week, we take a look at the glorious food at the center of it all.

First, we chat with Becky Diamond, author of "The Gilded Age Cookbook," who recounts the lavish menus and extravagant parties the uber-rich served up in the late 19th century. Her tome offers more than 75 sumptuous recipes of the period, from salmon en papillote to dainty tea sandwiches, accompanied by full-color photographs of the dishes.

Then, we sit down for an in-depth interview with actor and musician Michael Cerveris. The two-time Tony Award winner knows what it's like to live among the outrageous wealth and opulence of late-19th-century America, having played the valet Watson in the television series The Gilded Age. But that HBO drama is a late entry on Michael's long performing résumé. He's also had an impressive run on stage, in both musicals and straight plays. Locals may know Michael from his role in the post-Katrina New Orleans TV series Treme, or as co-founder of the popular Americana band Loose Cattle. Or, maybe, as the guy who lives down the street. Michael regales us with stories of his fascinating career and explains why he made the decision to call New Orleans home.

For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.