When you think of the best destinations in the USA for trying out unique and regional foods, New Orleans has to be one of the cities at the top of the list. Many of the savory traditional foods found in the Big Easy come with a heavy dose of hearty seasonings, ensuring that your taste buds are never bored. On the flip side, many of the traditional sugary confections found around the city are guaranteed to satisfy anybody’s sweet tooth. If promises this big don’t intrigue you, trying out new foods may be a fun part of traveling you’re missing out on! Should your life take you down to New Orleans for any reason, these are some of the traditional foods of the area that you absolutely must try.
1. Chargrilled oysters
Often considered one of New Orleans’ most traditional and best culinary offerings, chargrilled oysters are a step above the already delicious oyster topped with a bit of lemon juice or a dash of hot sauce. Drago’s Restaurant in New Orleans is usually lauded for making this delicious fare as popular as it is, and once you try the chargrilled oyster, you’ll be lauding them too. The preparation of the oysters is pretty simple, they need only to be shucked and cooked over an open flame. Once cooked, top them with a garlic butter sauce and finish off with parmesan cheese.
2. Po' boys
The po’ boy sandwich is just about as traditional of a food as you can get in New Orleans, and there are many ways you can get one, meaning you’re sure to find one to fall in love with. A po’ boy is rarely made without some form of meat, which can be just about any kind you favor: chicken, seafood, roast beef or shell fish. They can be served warm or cold and feature toppings similar to other sandwiches, including lettuce, tomatoes and mayonnaise. For an authentic New Orleans touch, be sure to add some spicy hot sauce.
3. Soft-shell crab
Soft-shell crab is a dish that is prepared after a crab has gone through a molting phase and no longer has its hard exoskeleton. When taken from the water at this point, it allows the crab to be cooked and eaten as a whole instead of having to shell out the pieces of edible meat. Most of the time, the crab is deep-fried or sauteed. Late spring through early fall is the prime time to get fresh soft-shell crab, as that is when they begin the molting process.
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4. Snow balls
Snow ball cookies are rounded balls of sweet, buttery deliciousness that are so good, you can’t eat just one. One of the staple ingredients is pecans, which pair wonderfully with the overall buttery taste. They are baked as a normal cookie, and once they come out of the oven, let them cool just long enough that you can handle them without getting burned. Toss the warm cookie in powdered sugar for the final touch.
5. Boudin
Typically made from white pork meat without any blood, boudin is a sausage in New Orleans that many consider a delicacy. The pork casings are stuffed with a pork rice dressing made from the liver and heart. Eat the links as a stand alone delight or alongside eggs and a biscuit for a hearty breakfast. Oftentimes, boudin is also formed into meatballs, which is a distinctly Cajun twist on the food. When made in this manner, instead of being stuffed into casings, the meat is rolled, covered in a batter and deep-fried.
6. Shrimp remoulade
Remoulades are a type of condiment with roots that trace back to France. Most remoulades are made from an aioli or mayonnaise base, though from there the additions and spices can vary greatly. In the majority of remoulades found in Louisiana and particularly New Orleans, you’ll find salt, pepper, and cayenne are standard ingredients, while chopped vegetables including green onions and celery are common as well. Shrimp remoulade is an appetizer commonly found in New Orleans in which the shrimp are boiled until cooked and then tossed with the remoulade; shrimp should then be refrigerated until chilled and are typically served over lettuce or arugula.
7. Crawfish etouffee
Etouffee (pronounced AY-too-FAY) is a stew with a base made of a light roux, with a history tracing back as early as the 1920s. While etouffees can be made of chicken or seafood, they are most commonly made using shellfish, particularly crawfish. A cooking method known as smothering is used when making etouffee, which usually involves cooking the dish in a covered pan over low heat. The dish has Creole or Cajun seasonings added to it, depending on the source, and is served over rice.
8. Turtle soup
Considered a delicacy by some, turtle soup has a long history in the United States, dating back to around the time the colonies were originally settled. The soup is made using the meaty part of a turtle while the soup itself is typically akin to a brown gravy. Most versions of the soup feature spices that include salt, cayenne pepper and bay leaves, with other flavor enhancers that include onions, lemon juice and chicken broth are common as well.
9. Pralines
The most basic praline is made from a combination of two simple ingredients: some form of nut and sugar. The American praline came to life thanks to early French settlers in Louisiana, who had a large amount of sugar cane and pecans readily available to them. New Orleans chefs took to replacing the pecans with almonds and adding a bit of heavy cream to make the pralines a bit thicker during the 1800’s, leading to what is mostly known to people today as a praline. If you’ve never had one, think of a confection that is richly sweet and has a consistency similar to fudge filled with pecans, almonds or another tree nut.
10. Andouille
Pronounced ann-DOO-ee, this pork sausage originated in France and was brought over by early settlers to the US. The sausage tends to be coarsely grained and made using a mixture of garlic, pepper, onions and various other Creole seasonings. Many of the regional dishes of New Orleans, including jambalaya and red beans and rice, may feature andouille as part of the entree.
Nothing beats the traditional foods of New Orleans
When your traditional foods are as delicious and unique as those found in New Orleans, you rarely even have to advertise them. These are just some of the wonderful foods you can try when you venture to down to Louisiana’s Big Easy. Crawfish etouffee, anyone?
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