HAPPY EASTER! Spring is here, and so is the time for planting. I recently moved to a place with a deck, and instead of continuing to threaten the earth with my amateur compost bin, I finally bit the bullet, bought some soil and seeds, procured some pots from Nana, and got my hands dirty. I’ve never been a huge grower, so am amazed at how fast my radishes and herbs are popping up. In-between transitioning from one freelance gig to another, I try and take 2-minute breaks to check in on my new lovelies, making sure they get enough water (but not too much), are enjoying the sunshine, and are ‘springing’ into action. In the meantime, I must result in buying my salad fixin’s at supermarkets or Fresh Pickins, though I’d rather just be able to pick them directly from my garden or a nearby farmers’ market.
That’s one thing I miss from other cities I’ve lived in like Seattle and New York, having a real, community-driven farmers’ market. Lafayette is an incredibly warm and vibrant town. However, it can be slow to adopt things other big cities have had for years. That can be both positive and negative. Positive in the fact that it definitely adds to the tight-knit community and the embracing of its culture. Negative because some things other cities have can contribute to the enrichment of that culture, and education in the town and surrounding areas prosper in addition to the economy.
One of the many work-related reasons you haven’t heard from me lately is because I’ve been working on trying to get a downtown farmers’ market started. Similar ideas have been attempted in this town, though I’m hoping to be in the right place at the right time. Working with some amazing people on this project, I am convinced that this is a wonderful venture to bring the community together; a Saturday morning and late Wednesday afternoon market combining local farm-raised/grown foods, local music/jams by talented musicians, great coffee and breakfast/lunch treats, chef demos, booths educating consumers about how to create a sustainable and healthy community, French cultural and educational workshops, and other educational seminars, due to begin fall 2008.
In other news, I haven’t had the luxury of trying too many new hotspots in town, though Victor’s on Jefferson and Johnston in Downtown Lafayette serves up some killer cabbage rolls and duck empanadas. And you can check out the haps with seafood in the Lafayette restaurant scene in my latest article “Seafood Secrets” in 008 Magazine.
Traveling to Louisiana and looking for a spot to tempt your tummy, check out the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism’s Culinary Trails.
Dana Jacobi has just come out with a new cookbook on healthy eating – The Essential Best Foods Cookbook.
And stay tuned for a “Cocktail Couture” snippet on Spanish wines, berry beers, and absinthe in the May issue of “008 Magazine.”
Have a GORGEOUS spring, and bon appétit!
Biscuits + Brioche 