Monday, June 9, 2014

Ripe to Bursting: French Market Creole Tomato Festival


The unspoken tenet underpinning the slew of New Orleans festivals (and perhaps New Orleans in general) might as well be “Let Nothing Go Uncelebrated!”

This weekend the masses gathered to cheer the beginning of Creole tomato season with the annual French Market Creole Tomato festival. Enthusiastic diners and chefs alike can’t seem wait for these fleshy, flavorful Louisiana veggies to start getting plucked off the vine and thrown into pots, pans, and griddles across the city. Judging by the flocks chowing down on Creole tomato-centric concoctions whipped up by local eateries, this year’s crop must already feel quite appreciated and welcome.

There was a bustling variety of activity going on around the Market, including live music, cooking demonstrations, and an area playing favor to the kiddies. But let’s be real. It was Sunday, and I had skipped brunch for this. I was there for the food.

Proper strategy for optimal menu selection at a French Market Festival dictated that I canvass the entire row of food booths before making a final decision. But, oh, as soon as I laid eyes on the Crêpes à la Cart booth fairly early in the lineup, I knew my heart and stomach were won. I’ve been slavering for a good crêpe lately, and the Creole Tomato, Basil, and Mozzarella crepe (named Tastiest Dish of the festival , no less) did not fail to deliver.


I said-a crêpe, crêpe, crêpe-ity crêpe,
 a-crêpe crêpe crêpe-ity crêpe.

Anything remotely “Caprese” style, i.e some blend of tomato, fresh basil, and white cheese, is a pretty easy sell on me, but they had folded this into a triangle of bliss. The light savor of the filling was complemented by the touch of sweetness in the crêpe batter, and it was satisfyingly more filling than a small snack yet not as exhausting as a whole heavy meal. Good enough even to keep me distracted from getting jostled by a large sweaty group of drunk tourists wearing Mardi Gras beads.

Oh, I also picked up a Ginger Basil Lemonade with Bayou Rum while I browsed the offerings. While the drink was blessedly cool and refreshing, neither the ginger nor the basil came out as much as I had hoped. I did enjoy the rum and lemonade mix though, so altogether not a bad choice for enduring the 90+ degree afternoon.

Pro Tip: Always stay hydrated.
                                     

Not quite full to bursting, I decided to take in one more nosh. To top off I chose the Gulf shrimp with smoked Creole tomato sauce and mushroom grit cake from the Little Gem Saloon/RioDel Mar booth.

The Southern comfort of shrimp 'n' grits

The shrimp themselves lacked oomph but did well paired with the delightful flavors and textures of the grit cake and tomato sauce. With their powers combined, the dish provided the unique blanket of tastiness that only Southern comfort food can really offer.

Serenading me through most of my festival experience was The Honeypots, a chill but very groovin’ lady-based New Orleans band. Perfect music for a Sunday afternoon amidst the blooming of delicious local cuisine.


Crowds and Louisiana’s sweltering heat are usually enough not only to make me cringe and scowl, but often stay home entirely. Something about New Orleans intoxicates me (literally and/or figuratively) enough to transcend that madness and even enjoy myself at these types of events. So here’s to being pulled out of my shell, and I'm already looking forward to next weekend’s Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival

No comments:

Post a Comment