new orleans – Liberated Traveler

New Orleans is one of my favorite cities in the United States. It is so different than any other place across America. The mixture of cultures in this region has created something that can only be found in the delta. Have you been to New Orleans or have thoughts about New Orleans? Here is how you can contribute:

1. Each Sunday, a place will be set as the theme (it could be a city, landmark, national park, etc.)

2. If you are familiar with the place and would like to contribute, you will write a post and title it Travel Journey of the Week: New Orleans.

3. Your post can be any medium that works for you; videos, photos, descriptions, itineraries, personal memories, poems, ticket stubs, etc.

4. Finally, be sure to provide a link back here so everyone can connect and share their own take on the place: http://liberatedtraveler.com/2013/09/29/travel-journey-of-the-week-new-orleans/

Travel Journey of the Week: New Orleans

What do I think of when I think of New Orleans? Food! To mix things up a little this week, I’m sharing a recipe from The New Orleans School of Cooking. If you are spending some time in New Orleans, taking a cooking class will definitely enhance your trip. I learned so much about the cultures that have come together to create the famous dishes with their unique flavors. The class offers history, humor, entertainment, and a tasty meal.

Recipe:

JAMBALAYA
Makes 12 Servings

INGREDIENTS:
¼ C. oil
1 cooked chicken, cut up or de-boned
1½ lbs. sausage

TRINITY:
2 heaping tsp. Joe’s Stuff or Creole seasoning
4 C. chopped onions
2 C. chopped celery
2 C. chopped green pepper
2 C. chopped green onions or tomatoes (optional)

1 tbsp. chopped garlic
4 C. long grain rice
5 C. stock or flavored water

For brown jambalaya: 1 – 2 tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet
For red jambalaya*: 1/4 cup paprika (*You may also use 2.5 cups stock and 2.5 cups tomato juice instead of 5 cups stock/flavored water.)

PROCEDURE:
Season and brown the chicken in oil, lard or bacon drippings over medium to high heat. Add sausage to pot and sauté with chicken. Remove the chicken and sausage from pot, leaving the drippings in the pot.

Sauté onions, celery, green pepper and garlic in the drippings until tender. Return chicken and sausage to pot. Add stock and Creole seasoning and bring the mixture to a boil. (If using Kitchen Bouquet for brown jambalaya, add 1 – 2 tbsp. For red jambalaya, add approximately 1/4 cup paprika, stock and tomato juice.)

Add rice. Stir and return to rapid boil. Stir again and remove the pot from the heat. Cover and let the jambalaya rest for 25 minutes. Remove cover and quickly turn rice from top to bottom completely. Add green onions and chopped tomatoes if desired.

For seafood jambalaya, add cooked seafood when rice is turned.

9th Ward, New Orleans

In the photo you can see the spray paint indicating number of deaths on the houses 5 years after the hurricane consumed the area.

This foundation once held a home and a family.

I’ve probably turned to food as my companion way too many times.

I have visited New Orleans the past two summers. If you are looking for a location in the US that doesn’t feel like the typical destination, then this is your place. The mixture of cultures creates a unique experience each time you visit.

There are two restaurants that I LOVE, and highly recommend for travelers. The first is The Italian Barrel. We walked past it thinking, “we can have Italian at home.” Finally we gave in one night, and now this is a regular stop for us. On our last trip we discovered Irene’s Cuisine. Both places have a great atmosphere with food that you will remember in your dreams.

Here are some of my photos of NOLA and the surrounding area. Stay tuned for more information!