Smashing Through Those Stereotypes

We had some friends around for dinner last night, a French/Spanish couple and a British couple. It was a fabulous evening that culminated in a visit to the local bar for a coffee and to see a group of women who perform a cappella, singing in both French and Occitan.

I made a Greek salad with watermelon, cucumber, little orange tomatoes from our garden, red onion and feta cheese, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a bit of salt and pepper. That sweet/salty combination is divine!


The main course was jambalaya, which everyone had heard of from the song, but didn't know what it was exactly. We served our precious last bottle of Crystal Hot Sauce alongside and they all used surprisingly generous amounts, then decided that Crystal puts Tabasco to shame. I guess I'll be bringing many bottles back from New Orleans in February.

Dessert was another New Orleans favorite, bread pudding with Whiskey sauce. I haven't made it since our big Easter bash. This is my carefully guarded, secret recipe that I won't give out, not for anything.





So, about that stereotype...
toward the end of his second helping of bread pudding (he had two helpings of everything!) José exclaimed, "I guess it's not true that the Americans can't cook."

So happy to help quash that all-too-common stereotype!