We Sell Louisiana Gifts!

Looking for the perfect gift? Look no further! NolaCajun sells lots of gift items including cookbooks, gift baskets, coasters, aprons, trivets, shirts, and more!

Our gift baskets make perfect gifts for family and friends who favor that New Orleans flavor! We offer a variety of gift baskets including:

Hot Sauce Gift Basket
Muffuletta Gift Basket
Sweet Tooth Gift Basket
Breakfast Gift Basket
Lagniappe Gift Basket
Tabasco Gift Basket
Everything Pickled Gift Basket
Coffee Gift Basket

Our lagniappe gift basket allows you to customize your very own gift basket! All you have to do is let us know what you would like in your own special basket and we will create it for you! Choose from our inventory of over 1000 New Orleans and Cajun food products.

We also offer a great selection of local cookbooks too! Find your favorite recipes from restaurants such as Arnaud’s, Commander’s Palace, Broussard’s, Galatoire’s, Brennan’s, and more!  These cookbooks are sure to please anyone that loves New Orleans and Cajun foods.

Ode to Hubig’s Pies

This is it.  The last one for quite some time…

I woke up yesterday morning to what many New Orleanians would consider unbelievably horrible news.  The Hubig’s Pie bakery had burnt to the ground in a five alarm fire.  It began at 4:30am in the fryer room of the bakery.  Luckily, no one was hurt in the blaze.  Four trucks made it out of the bakery for their deliveries before the fire started.  The firefighters were able to contain the fire and saved the surrounding buildings and homes, but the bakery was lost.

When I received news of the fire, I rushed out in search of any remaining pies at our local grocery stores.  They can easily be frozen and if I could stock up, my family’s cravings could be satisfied for the next few months.  Much to my dismay, there were none to be found, I was too late.  In many cases, they had sold out within an hour of the stores’ opening.

When I returned home, I remembered I had bought one at the beginning of the week and had yet to eat it.  So off came the wrapper.  Good bye sweet, flaky crust.  Good bye lemony filling.  Good bye Simon, the cute little baker man…

 

The owners, unsure of how long it will take to rebuild, promise they will reopen.  They must reopen.  Closed for four months after Hurricane Katrina, they are no stranger to adversity.  But the 90 year old bakery will persevere and we will be here waiting.

***We will let our customers know when we are able to offer Hubig’s Pies on our website again.  In the meantime, please help our friends at Hubig’s by purchasing t-shirts from their online store. ***

Home-Made Creole Jambalaya Recipe

Looking to spice things up in your kitchen this summer? This week, try your hand at our family’s jambalaya recipe or do a quick fix with the dinner mixes we offer on our website!

NolaCajun Home-Made Creole Jambalaya Recipe

 

1 yellow onion

1 bell pepper

1 cup celery

6 cloves of garlic

1 link andouille sausage

1 link smoked sausage

4 oz. tasso ham

4 chicken thighs

4 cups chicken broth

Creole seasoning

Dash of Crystal Worcestershire Sauce

2 cups uncooked Zatarain’s Parboiled Rice

Fun Cajun Land Fact:

In New Orleans, we have what is known as the Holy Trinity. In any Creole dish, there are almost always three requirements: onions, bell peppers, and celery. In our world, this ensures that whatever you have decided to cook that day, it will develop with robust flavors and make a bold statement…granted you don’t burn anything.

In a large skillet, slice and cook all sausage until browned. Add cubed chicken thighs and brown together until fully cooked. Next, add all chopped vegetables and seasoning and let cook together until vegetables are transparent and soft. Combine rice in the skillet with a spatula, but be sure not to over work the rice as it may turn mushy once cooked. Add broth and simmer for 20- 25 mins. Taste test as many times as possible to ensure premium flavor & a happy palate and enjoy with family and friends!

If your running low on time and need a quick fix, try our Cajun Jambalaya dinner mixes! All you need is your meat and the box does the rest of the magic for you.

Have you tried our recipes or have any new and interesting ones of your own? Share your recipes with us! We would love to feature it on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest! This goes for all of our products! We are always looking for great ideas from our loyal customers!

Running of the Bulls

July 14^th, 2012 marks the annual Running of the Bulls, a city wide event where New Orleanians and guests do their best to give the Spaniards a run for their money! The streets of the French Quarter are overrun with patrons dressed in traditional white shirts and shorts tied together with red sashes as they are chased by beautiful “bulls”, the Big Easy Rollergirl’s, New Orleans female roller derby team.

 

 Beginning at 8 a.m. sharp, the “bulls” chase runners and swing plastic Whiffle ball bats at those who dare not to keep up during the mile long run as they storm down Decatur and hopefully arrive safe and sound at whatever bar is closest to the finish line! With a call time set that early on a Saturday morning, a strong cup of CDM coffee might do the body good, but if you’re ready to run with the best of them I recommend a tall Bloody Mary bright and early to prepare your body for hours of day-drinking ahead of you. There are only five rules for this Spanish inspired Cajun run:

• Run at your own risk
• Do not touch the Bulls
• If you go down, stay down
• Do not stand still
• Children under ten (10) use sidewalk.

After the run, if you have survived the spanks and spills, the Big Easy nominee for Best Latin Band, Vivaz!, will be performing tradition Latin music to seduce your hips and tempt your lips for an ice cold beverage. After the festivities, we recommend you spend the remainder of your day in the Quarter socializing with other fellow survivors, trading stories of gallant bravery and defeat! Grab a muffuletta from Central Grocery for lunch or at the infinite number of delicious Creole restaurants and perhaps consider switching from that stout adult beverage to a more family friendly & local favorite like Abita Root Beer to wash the day down! Registration is FREE, just be sure you can afford to let loose and enjoy the beautiful chaos that is New Orleans!

WHAT: 6th Annual Running of the Bulls in New Orleans
WHERE: The Sugar Mill • 1021 Convention Center Boulevard
WHEN: Saturday, July 14th
7:15 am Procession of San Fermin
8:00 AM SHARP El Encierro (bull run) begins

http://www.nolabulls.com/index.asp?id=10

Summer Solstice New Orleans Style

New Orleanian’s will find any reason to throw a party and Summer Solstice is no exception! Tonight, June 20^th at precisely 7:09 pm marks the first official day of summer and what better way to celebrate than with your friends, family, and a refreshing beverage to take the sting out of the heat!

The rest of the country is finally catching on to Summer Solstice parties, but to pull off your get-together it in true southern style try these delicious daiquiri and mixed beverage recipes that will be sure to impress!

Solace Strawberry Daiquiri:

A new twist on a local favorite!

3 oz. Pat O’Brien’s Strawberry Daiquiri Mix

2 packets Crystal Light Cherry Pomegranate Flavor

1.5 oz Rum

1 cup ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Pour into a chilled glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry!

 

Magnetic Margaritas:

Jose’ wont be the only one coming back for more!

3 oz. Pat O’Brien’s Margarita Mix

2 packets Crystal Light Raspberry Ice Flavor

1/2 oz. Triple Sec

1.5 oz. Tequila

1 cup of ice

Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix well. Adjust to taste. Pour into salt-rimmed chilled glass and garnish with fresh limes!

Add an additional kick with just a splash of St. Germain liquor to the top & stir in

 

Boastful Bloody Bull:

For those who have a few too many of the Magnetic Margaritas, heal your hang-over with our twist on a classic, mouthwatering Bloody Mary. A perfect blend of spice and flavor like only the Creole’s know how!

2 oz. Tabasco Bloody Mary Mix

1.5 oz canned condensed beef bouillon

1.5 oz Vodka

Freshly ground black pepper

4 Cajun Chef Spicy Green Beans

Combine Tabasco Mix, bouillon, vodka, and pepper and mix well. Pour over ice in a tall glass and garnish with spicy green beans.

Do you use our drink mixes in any new and interesting ways?  Share your recipes with us!  We would love to feature it on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest!  This goes for all of our products!  We are always looking for great ideas from our loyal customers!

Jacques-Imo’s Restaurant Review

Good morning readers! We felt that it was about time to share another one of our favorite restaurants in New Orleans to give guidance to upcoming visitors and encourage locals to give a little jump-start to grassroots businesses. Jacques-Imo’s is located on the far end of Oak Street, a quaint Uptown road occupied by an old family pharmacy, eclectic coffee shops and wine bars, and a variety charming boutiques to browse on a slow day. At night however, the one place you want to be is in line, waiting for a table at one of the best Creole restaurants in New Orleans. If not for the lavishly painted swamp scene on the truck permanently parked outside the front door, Jacques-Imo’s might be easily overlooked by passerbys not lucky enough to have spent an evening inside the magical restaurant!

  Once inside the petite entrance, you are overtaken by the enormous mural spanning the entire length of the restaurant, framed paintings acting as a ceiling and the most sensational Cajun aroma filling every inch. Be sure to arrive at least thirty minutes before you would like to be seated, they dont take reservations for parties of five or more and there is always a line! While you wait, enjoy a beverage from the bar served in the famous Crabby Jacks plastic cups and prepare yourself for a little taste of heaven on Earth. The kitchen is located in the middle of the restaurant, so it is impossible to be seated without passing through where all the magic happens, sure to rev up your taste buds! Once seated, take a few minutes to take in your surrounding, theres something eclectic and surprising in every nook and cranny.

  Now its time for the food- from personal experience, I have never been to Jacques-Imo’s and not ordered the Shrimp and Alligator Sausage Cheesecake appetizer. The name may seem a bit off-putting but trust a local- it is INCREDIBLE! A generous slice is served with a Cajun tomato cream sauce drizzled on top, perfect for soaking with the never ending supply of garlic and green-onion butter cornbread! If alligator seems a bit ambitious for your taste, you cant go wrong with the Steamed Mussels in a tomato- basil broth or the Eggplant Jacques-Imo’s topped with an oyster dressing and wild mushroom sauce that would make your taste-buds sing!

Searching for an entrée on the menu can be a daunting task, but rest assure you can not go wrong. The portions are enough to share but I guarantee after your first bite, you will be hard pressed to let go of anything on your plate. This past Saturday, after examining the menu for the perfect dish, I finally decided on the Pan-fried Drum finished with a menieure brown sauce and topped off with candied pecans. The drum was cooked to perfection with just enough sauce to compliment to the fish but not overpowering its freshness while the pecans added that special sweetness pairing perfectly with the savory sauce! My friend who joined me was feeling especially adventurous that evening and the moment our waiter described the Godzilla Meets FGT special, he was done for. His dish consisted of an enormous soft shell crab served with hefty layers of fried green tomatoes and eggplant stacked underneath, finished with house-made remoulade sauce and a steak knife jostled through the top to keep all in their place. After getting over the impact of the grand presentation, he took his first bite and that is where any and all conversation ceased for the next ten minutes. It was almost impossible for him to focus on anything except the Creole masterpiece in front and relishing in all its glory! Understandable, neither one of us finished our meals which only meant the wonderful experience would live on for another day under the title of leftovers.

Leaving room for dessert at Jacques-Imo’s is a daunting task but one that must be conquered! His New Orleans-style bread pudding is one of a kind with the coconut sprinkled inside which adds a whole other level of flavor and goodness but if your running low on space in the stomach, I would recommend their Watermelon Mojito as delightful night-cap to end your Jacques-Imo’s Journey!

             

  Truly a local gem in New Orleans that might be hard to find for out-of-towners, but one meal in his kitchen will ensure a place in your heart, and stomach, forever. Great food, reasonable prices for the large portions, and a fantastic environment sure to make any night spent at Jacques-Imo’s an eventful one!

Jacque-Imo’s Cafe

8324 Oak St
New Orleans, LA 70118

(504) 861-0886

http://jacques-imos.com

If you have a favorite New Orleans or Louisiana restaurant that you would like us to feature or would like to submit a review, please feel free to reach out to us!  We are always happy to hear about our customer’s experiences down in Cajun country!

Father’s Day Dip Recpies

Make this Fathers Day a GRAND SLAM with specialized Creole and Cajun products and recipes brought to you by NolaCajun.com! Whether y’all plan on watching the NBA finals or some good ole American baseball (we are partial to the LSU Tigers), these quick and easy Louisiana dishes will be sure to spice up Dad’s day!

Tired of the same, ordinary party dips you see at every get-together? Try these delicious, flavorful, and easy dips to wow your family and friends this Fathers Day.

NolaCajun Seafood Dip

1 –  8 oz package cream cheese

1/2 cup Blue Plate Light Mayo

1/2 cup light sour cream

1 T Crystal Worcestershire sauce

1 T lemon juice

5 drops Tabasco Pepper Sauce or Cajun Power Garlic Sauce

1 lb boiled crawfish/ shrimp/ or crab meat

1/4 cup chopped onion tops

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Tony Chacheres to taste

Cream together cream cheese, mayo, and sour cream. Add in Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and Tabasco. Fold in seafood, onion tops and parsley. Season with Tony Chacheres as necessary. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.  This can be made the night before and refrigerated overnight.

 

Southern Pepper Jelly over Cream Cheese

1 – 8oz package of cream cheese

Any of our Southern Pepper Jellies:

Aunt Sallys Louisiana Pecan Pepper Jelly

Michaels Pepper Jelly

Tabasco Jalapeno Pepper Jelly

Tabasco Original Pepper Jelly

Place the block of cream cheese on a small serving platter. Warm pepper jelly in microwave for 20-30 seconds in jar. Stir and pour over cream cheese. Serve with your favorite salted cracker. We prefer Ritz crackers.

For instant Cajun goodness, try our hassle-free salsas and dips:

Voodoo Bayou Mild Salsa

Zapps Cajun Picante Sauce

Zapps Spicy Cajun Bean Dip

LSU Tiger Salsa

Our delicious recipes are sure to add an extra kick to your Fathers Day!

Have a favorite recipe of your own?  Send it in!  We would love to feature it on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest!  This goes for all of our products!  We are always looking for great ideas from our loyal customers!

Memorial Day Seafood Boils!

Memorial Day is coming up this weekend and what better way to spend the day with family and friends than popping open an ice cold Abita Root Beer and sitting back to enjoy some of the great seafood that Mother Nature has provided!

 

Looking to host a seafood boil over the holiday?  Well, you have come to the right place.  NolaCajun.com has everything you need to make your boil one to remember!  From authentic Louisiana Cajun and Creole seafood boil spices to great fish fry mixes and amazing dipping sauces, we are your one stop shop for everything New Orleans and Cajun country has to offer!

Here are just a few of our great options!

• Liquid Boiling Seasonings
• Dry Boiling Seasonings
• Fish and Seafood Fry Mixes
• Hush Puppy and other Fry Mixes
• Seafood Dipping Sauces
• Cocktail Mixers
• Chips and Dips
• Candies and Sweets

So if you are looking for something a little on the spicy side or just a little milder, we can help!

Want to know how to boil the perfect batch of crawfish?  Check out our post on our Good Friday Crawfish Boil tradition!  Have a favorite recipe of your own?  Send it in!  We would love to feature it on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest!  This goes for all of our products we are always looking for great ideas from our loyal customers!

What To Do With Leftover Crawfish?

You sat down hours ago to enjoy some beautiful Louisiana boiled crawfish. Now your top button on your pants is unbuttoned, your shirt looks like it was used as a napkin, and your nose is running like a faucet.  You are doing your best to finish the crawfish off but the end is nowhere in sight.  You know you did your part but some other lightweights didn’t step up to the crawfish table.  You now have several pounds of crawfish left. You certainly can’t throw the leftovers away.  Here are some suggestions on what to do with leftovers from a crawfish boil.

– Omelets- all you need are eggs. The vegetables and crawfish are already cooked. The potatoes can even be used as a side dish similar to hash browns.

Chef John Folse Has a Great Recipe Here

– Crawfish- etouffee all you need is rice and a roux.  Save the potatoes for the next dish.

Try Emeril’s Recipe

Take the easy way out with Slap Ya Mama Etouffee Sauce

– Crawfish Bread

Here is a great recipe.

– Crawfish Pie

Gumbo Pages has a good recipe

Take the easy way out with Mam Papaul’s Crawfish Pie

– Peel the tails and save them for any other dish at a later time.

– Make a stock from the vegetables and shells.

– Or just eat everything cold out of the refrigerator

Do you have any interesting recipes of New Orleans and/or Cajun cuisine?  If you would like to send us the recipe with a picture of the finished product, we would love to feature it on our blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Pinterest!  This goes for all of our products we are always looking for great ideas from our loyal customers!

 

Love for the Bug

It is Crawfish season here in Louisiana.  The weather has warmed up considerably and everybody wants boiled crawfish.  It is hard to explain the passion and excitement one creature can create for a region.  The crawfish “mudbug” does certainly that.  Basically, the crawfish is a fresh water miniature lobster that burrows itself in mud only to surface for food and air.  It might sound a little strange, but once you eat them boiled, you will be hooked like the rest of us.  Boiling crawfish is much like a lot of other well-known dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya. You throw Cajun crab boil seasoning and all kinds of vegetables in a big pot of boiling water then add crawfish.  That’s it for the most part. Not much to it.  Of course, everybody swears their way of boiling is the best way but to each their own.  However, let’s get one thing straight.  This is not like boiled/steamed lobsters in New England or crabs on the East Coast.  Boiled crawfish come out seasoned and ready to eat immediately…no clarified butter or bland sauce needed. Suck the head, pinch the tail and enjoy!

So check out all the crawfish boil products that we have to offer at NolaCajun.com and you too can boil crawfish.  Let us know some of your crawfish boil stories, or if you have any comments or questions on crawfish boils, please let us know. We will also gladly let you know NolaCajun’s detailed steps on how to boil crawfish.