Non-Dairy Chowder & Purple Sweet Potatoes

Fish Chowda!

On a recent visit to our local supermarket, Marnina and I came to the conclusion that we were spending too much money for subpar produce and seafood.  For months we had been bemoaning the produce and fish section of the supermarket (as well as the entire store in general), but for some reason we could not muster up the courage to switch our allegiance to a new supermarket.  Every now and then we would supplement our shopping trips with some tastier-looking food stores such as Harris Teeter or Whole Foods, but we would do the bulk of our shopping at the less-than-appetizing local grocery store.  We thought we were getting a better deal on our produce and other foods, but in reality, we were paying slightly lower prices for mediocre (and sometimes rotten) food. 

Help! Everything is Fried – New Orleans Dining

"New Orleans Cookery"

While Marnina and I were in New Orleans this past week, we came to the conclusion that the people in New Orleans know how to produce incredibly unique and tasty food.  And no, we did not come to this conclusion while in a drunken stupor on Bourbon Street. Their food is world-renowned for its distinctive qualities, which include Creole, Cajun, French, and other cuisines’ influences.  We had some memorable meals at even more memorable locations – beignets at Café du Monde, redfish croquettes at one of the top-rated seafood restaurants in the French Quarter…..and eggs, grits, and homemade biscuits that tasted like it came straight out of my grandmother’s kitchen (the owner even called me ‘sweetheart’).