Which leads me to the beginning of our adventure. Our first morning in New Orleans found us at the famous gathering spot for tourist and locals alike, Café Du Monde, located in the heart of the French Quarter. They serve this unique chicory coffee along with Beignets, a wonderful puffed pasty dusted with powdered sugar.

The French Quarter

The French Quarter is the only intact French Colonial and Spanish settlement remaining in the United States. It has been a continuous residential neighborhood since 1718, and is the bedrock of Creole cuisine. From all the wonderful choices for lunch in “The Big Easy,” we decided on The Court of Two Sisters, an eatery tucked in a vined courtyard, featuring a daily Jazz Brunch buffet. The outstanding food selections changes according to season and time of day, the specialties include made-to-order omelets, Eggs Benedict, Ceviche, Shrimp Creole, Chicken and Andouille Gumbo, Oysters Bienville, and Duck a l’Orange. I tasted a tiny bit of everything, ha, and settled on their own version of jambalaya, a triumph of Creole tradition. Finally, Crepes Suzette to die for. I almost did!

Walking through the Quarter is the order of day, and visiting the historical New Orleans landmarks a must. Also, it gave us the chance to walk off lunch and leave room for a midday snack, Seafood Gumbo and fresh oysters on the half shell at a local favorite, Ralph and Kacoo’s on Toulouse St. The atmosphere was as casual as their attention to service, which is nothing to write home about, so I won’t except to say, the oysters, well . . . were more historical than memorable . . . ugh! Moving along . . .

Bourbon Street

Strolling along Bourbon Street during the day is a special treat for the entire family, as long as you keep the attention of the youngin’s on the wonderfully unique architecture and calliope of sounds. The New Orleans’ style of Jazz is one of the truly original forms of musical tribute to an entire culture. Calling Bourbon Street, The Birthplace of Jazz, jazz historian Al Rose wrote a definition of New Orleans-style jazz which was eventually adopted by the city government. It reads: “Jazz is two or more musical voices improvising collectively in two-four or four-four time on any known melody and ‘syncopating.’ “ . . . Huh? OK, moving on . . .

Gourmet Capital

Choosing where to eat dinner in one of the gourmet capitals of the world is more of a headache than a pleasure. Antoine’s (a leader in traditional French), Arnauds (classic Creole), Bella Luna (one of the country’s most romantic restaurants), Cafe Marigny (magnifique!) That got me to the D’s, when it suddenly hit me, Bam, that’s it! Chef Emeril’s Delmonico Restaurant and Bar, referencing the now infamous TV Chef, Emeril Lagasse.

Located in the Garden District, it’s away from the hustle and bustle of the Quarter. This unobtrusive two story on St. Charles Avenue, adjacent to the Historic Trolley line, was easy to access by car, something few popular New Orleans restaurants can boast. “Reservations a must,” and it was soon obvious why that statement was true. A score of finely decorated intimate dining rooms and bar, flanked by a staircase to more, were already completely full by 7:45 pm. We were escorted to the lounge where the little pixy of a waitress that served us our aperitif was younger than my tie... ba da boom!

The Meal

Within minutes, we were shown to a comfortable corner table in one of the 2nd floor nooks, with a window overlooking the Boulevard and the lighted skyscrapers of a distant downtown. The menu was a full compliment of everything one would want or expect of a quality continental fare. Although I am not exactly a fan of smoked things, I loved the sampler of Crusted Salmon Roll, which was bursting with flavors including hickory. This was followed by a fried oyster in shell, topped with a gentle crab sauce. Our soup course was wonderful. Matthew ordered the Turtle Soup au Sherry, more of a chowder, and I still had a taste for a real gumbo, and I got what I wanted, in style. The level of service was a bit hectic, and somewhat chit chatty amongst the staff, but efficient, and the courses were paced perfectly with our needs. The Caesar Salad was blended to perfection, and although I prefer the Romaine leaves to be a bit more chilled and crisp, the table side preparation was impeccable. The true measure of a great dining experience is what I get for my money, and I have to say they didn’t get paid enough for what I received.

Our choice of entree was typical of a Master Chef and family, one trying the limits of Haute Cuisine, the other, ordering a grotesquely large slab of charred beef and totally lacking panache.

I real enjoyed my 1-1/2 lbs of Dry-Aged Prime New York Strip Steak, with 4 great sauces, and Matthew dined on a wonderfully delicate Truite Provençal, a Sautéed Rainbow Trout with Sizzled Rock Shrimp, artichoke hearts, Lyonnaise Potatoes and Lemon Butter sauce. Our Captain laid down a true marker to a Chef, claiming the best Crème Brûlée in all of New Orleans. It was, and I know the difference! I have a special recipe you can easily make at home to prove it, and will share it with you.

8 egg yolks
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar (for the caramelized tops)

Preheat oven to 300ºF.
1. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
2. Slowly add the cream and vanilla, and continue to whisk until well blended.
3. Strain into a large bowl, skimming off any foam or bubbles.
4. Evenly pour the mixture among 6 ramekins or custard cups.
5. Set in a water bath and bake until set around the edges, but still loose in the center, about 50 to 60 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and leave in the water bath until cooled.
7. Remove cups from water bath and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 days.

When ready to serve, sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of sugar over each custard. For best results, use a small, hand-held torch to melt sugar. If you don’t have a torch, place under the broiler until sugar melts. Re-chill custards for a few minutes before serving.
Serves 6