I cannot imagine a better kick off to the Mardi Gras season than the confetti snowfall finale of the LSU victory in the National Championship Game Monday night.
In exchange for access to the field pre-game, we volunteered for a bizarre job in the press box—like a scene from the Office, in a post-paper world, KP and I handed out paper copies of stats to grey-haired sports journalists at the end of each quarter; the elders sat silent and shoulder to shoulder with millennial journalists busy whipping up Joe Barrow-Joe Pesci Home Alone memes and Googling the stats. Memorable evening. Don’t you think I fit in the line up of commentators? Let’s hear from our local cancer patient who has a lot of opinions about the inappropriate financial excess of the sports industry, chauvinism, TBI and, well, food.
The personal-sized Randazzo king cakes were a nice touch. I took home six.
With them, I decided to do random acts of kingcakeness around the neighborhood in loving memory of our neighbor Susan Finch who is passing from this world this week. I already miss her waving from the corner with her sweet dog Nola in tug. Somehow giving away seems an appropriate response to death—passing along something beloved, a reminder that nothing can be kept.
And then I cooked comfort waffles, adding 1/2 cup of hazelnut flour to my usual recipe. Eating always an affirmation of life.
I love cake season. The official Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club King and Queen cakes made by Chef Milan at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans are incredible. The salted caramel queen cake is my favorite.
The proceeds from the sales of the cakes fund scholarships for local New Orleans high school students to attend local universities. Pay your bacchanal calories forward this year and order your cake here.
These cakes would pair so nicely with Difference Coffee Espressos. We loved the Panama Geisha and Jamaican Blue Mountain luxury café experience at home.
And after all the king cake eating, as my mother does after the holidays, it’s time for some penance dinners. Try this recipe from our Portland headquarters.
Penance Pizza on Cauliflower Crust, nearly zero carb for the keto fans
Inspired by The Dirty Lazy Keto Cookbook
Perfected by Andie Ellis
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
In your food processor, turn the cauliflower into “crumbs”. Put in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 5-6 minutes, partially cooked. Then spread out on a kitchen towel and cool. (20 minutes) When cool, wring out the cauliflower to remove water, then repeat in a dry towel. Put back in bowl and add remaining ingredients.
Form a 10-12 inch crust with oiled hands on a piece of parchment paper. Preheat your oven pizza stone to 425 degrees.
Now bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until very light brown.
Cool for five minutes and add:
Sauce; spread on the crust with a spatula. I used pesto, but red sauce would be fine. Cheese; your choice, I used Asiago cheese about a cup. Meat; I used 3 ounces of prosciutto and a bit of diced salami I had in the fridge. Olives; any kind, I used sliced black olives, about 1/2 cup. Red pepper, to taste. A few sliced cherry tomatoes.
Give this a final grated dusting of parmesan and back into the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Let it sit for five minutes before slicing. Soooo good.
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