Cocktail friends and enthusiasts, please read the following and help spread the word to save New Orlean’s Tujague’s Restaurant!

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Please see below my letter to Stanford Latter. This is such a potential tragedy that I have written the following letter and would like to ask for your help sharing it with your audience  and helping me appeal to Stanford Latter.

Dear Mr. Latter,

Let me start by saying how sorry I am about the recent loss of your brother, Steve. In the time I got to know him through my work with Tales of the Cocktail and the New Orleans Cocktail Tour two things always stood out– his dry wit and his love for New Orleans. He clearly had a deep respect for the history and culture of our great city with the way he ran Tujague’s for more than 30 years.

Now, I don’t claim to be a real estate expert so I can’t speak to getting the most out of your investment. But as the founder of New Orleans Culinary and Cocktail Preservation Society, I do know about our city’s rich history of dining and drinks. Tujaque’s is the place that continued the legacy of Madame Begue’s legendary brunches and where the Grasshopper cocktail was invented. It’s the home of brisket and horseradish and the beautiful long standup bar that takes you back in time when you order a drink. It breaks my heart to picture the doorway of this landmark littered with Drunk 1 and Drunk 2 t-shirts.

This city is in the midst of a renaissance– one that’s met with both excitement and fear. Every day brings progress that New Orleans hasn’t seen in decades. But the great fear, one that’s generations old, is that with progress comes a cleansing of the culture that makes this place not a just a great place to visit but, more importantly, a great place to live. Culture doesn’t just disappear in a day. Here one day, gone tomorrow. It erodes slowly as people put the bottom line ahead of everything else. But it doesn’t have to be that way. With what you choose to do with the Tujague’s building, you can stand for the peaceful coexistence between progress and culture.

I know business is business. But sometimes selling to the highest bidder comes with costs that can’t be counted in dollars and cents. Like losing yet another of our beloved restaurants and a piece of the living history that makes New Orleans so special. If you sell the Tujague’s building to the wrong person, the rest of us will be the ones paying for it. So please, Mr. Latter, respect our history, respect our culture and respect the legacy your brother worked his life to build.

Sincerely,

Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail

Thank you in advance.

NOLA.com Article: John Besh expresses interest in buying Tujague’s restaurant

Tujague’s Restaurant

Everyone has their go-to dips! Gooey, cheese fondue to classic sour cream and French onion to 7-layer Mexican—all perfect for almost any occasion from game day to patio parties.

But these days there are lots of creative, healthier spins to dips as well. We’re seeing less full-fat sour cream and more Greek yogurt and lighter mayos. Even this party staple can’t escape the better-for-you revolution!

Hummus is all the rage lately. Made with protein rich garbanzo beans, this is super, quick and easy to make from scratch, but is also available in a wide variety of flavors at your local grocery store. From roasted red pepper to sun-dried tomato, hummus is packing some serious flavor.

Creamy white bean dips are also popular and fall into the better-for-you category as well. We are even seeing “edamame hummus” popping at stores like Whole Foods!

It’s fun and tasty to layer dips too – like in my sophisticated Tuscan White Bean Dip Layered with Green Olive and Lemon Tapenade. Start with a creamy, rich white bean base and top with some bold flavored green olive and lemon tapenade – this flavor combo is sure to delight your next houseguests!

We all love to dip with potato and tortilla chips, but you can lighten up your dippables, too! Try something new like baked pita chips, rice crackers for gluten-free options, as well as fresh endive leaves, slices of crunchy fennel, colorful bell pepper pieces and French radishes. What a great way to add some color to your plate as well!

Get out of your dip rut, lighten up and try something new! –Kathy

Tuscan White Bean Dip Layered with Green Olive and Lemon Tapenade
I love to make the tapenade with those brilliant green Castelvetrano olives available at olive bars. If you want to take some extra time and pit them rather than buying pitted jarred olives, it is worth it! I like to serve this dip with pita chips or rustic crackers.

Makes 3 cups, or about 8 to 10 servings

Dip
1 (15-ounce) cans white beans, drained well
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon very finely minced lemon zest
1 teaspoon very finely minced fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Tapenade
1 1/2 cups pitted manzanilla or other green olives, drained
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon very finely minced lemon zest
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or oil from sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup coarsely chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

Garnish: extra-virgin olive oil and fresh rosemary sprig

To make the dip: In a food processor, combine the drained beans, cheese, if using, and garlic, and process for about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the pepper flakes, lemon juice and zest, rosemary and salt. With the motor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a slow stream. Process until smooth. Taste for salt and adjust if desired. Store the dip, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

To make the tapenade: In a food processor, combine the olives, garlic, lemon juice and zest, and oil, and pulse till the ingredients are thoroughly chopped, but still have some coarseness to them. Add the parsley and sundried tomatoes and pulse until just integrated. The tapenade can be stored, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.

To serve: Put the dip in a pretty bowl, smooth out the surface, then layer the tapenade on top. Drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil, and garnish with the rosemary.

Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Quick read in Epicurious! Check out my deviled egg recipes for Luxe Truffle, Red-Hot Buffalo, and Devilish Green Eggs & Ham. Perfect for springtime and Easter celebrations!

For more tips and ideas, head to www.dlishdeviledeggs.com!

I had a blast with King 5’s Margaret Larson on New Day Northwest earlier this morning talking all about my latest book, D’Lish Deviled Eggs! With over 50 classic and creative recipes, there’s definitely an egg for everyone and every occasion.

Beet’ing Heart Deviled Eggs! Love the color!
(Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios from D’Lish Deviled Eggs, Andrews McMeel Publishing)

Want to know my tips and secrets for how to make the perfect deviled egg? Start by making sure to hard-cook (not boil!) your eggs with my tip below. Then dress your deviled with my tasty variations: Goat Cheese and Peppadew, “California Roll,” and Beet’ing Heart deviled eggs.

Creative way of incorporating sushi into an egg app: “California Roll” Deviled Eggs topped with
Alaska King Crab, cucumber, furikake and tobiko.
(Photo by Kathy Casey Food Studios from D’Lish Deviled Eggs, Andrews McMeel Publishing)

For another fun deviled egg recipe, try my Emerald Asparagus & Sweet Onion Deviled Eggs found in the Seattle Time’s Pacific NW Magazine! Here’s to a wonderful spring season and Easter holiday! -Kathy

Goat Cheese and Peppadew Eggs
Creamy goat cheese and tangy sweet Peppadew peppers tango with a hit of Tabasco heat in this sexy deviled egg combo. Topped with a Spanish Marcona almond for a touch of salty crunch, these zippy bites are sure to please everyone’s palate.

Makes 24

1 dozen hard-cooked eggs (recipe follows)

Filling
3 to 4 ounces chèvre-style goat cheese (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
8 Peppadew peppers, drained well and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)

Topping
24 Marcona almonds
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

With a fork, mash the yolks to a smooth consistency. Add the goat cheese, mayonnaise, Tabasco, and mix until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.) Stir in the peppers.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Or fill eggs with a spoon, dividing filling evenly.

Top each egg half with a Marcona almond and a sprinkle of parsley.

Hard-Cooked Eggs

1 dozen large chicken eggs

Place the eggs in a large nonreactive saucepan and add cold water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and run cool water over the eggs in the pan until they are cooled. When cool, carefully peel them under running water.

Recipe from D’Lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey, Andrews McMeel Publishing

“California Roll” Deviled Eggs
Part of the allure of sushi is the beautiful presentation, and these California-roll-inspired eggs are dressed to impress. The wasabi and avocado filling whips up in no time, so you can spend a little longer making them look like the work of art they are!

Makes 24

1 dozen hard-cooked eggs

Filling
1/2 ripe avocado
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon purchased wasabi paste (or 1 tablespoon wasabi powder mixed with 1 tablespoon water)
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping
2 ounces Alaska King Crab meat (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup)
24 small cucumber fans (see tip)
Nori komi furikake (sesame seed–seaweed sprinkle)
2 tablespoons tobiko (flying fish roe)

Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a small bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

In a mixing bowl, mash the avocado well with a fork, then add the yolks and mash to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, wasabi paste, and salt, and mix until smooth.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Or fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

Top each egg half with a little crabmeat, a cucumber fan, a sprinkle of furikake, and about 1/4 teaspoon tobiko.

Tip: To make tiny cucumber fans, quarter a 4-inch piece of English cucumber lengthwise. Then cut each quarter into 18 thin slices—the goal is to get 3 tiny slices per “fan.” See photo for reference.

Recipe from D’Lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey, Andrews McMeel Publishing

Beet’ing Heart Deviled Eggs
I’m all for an appetizer that doubles as a fun craft project, and these eggs certainly fit the bill. Pickled beet juice turns the whites a deep pink color and makes these perfect for serving up on Valentine’s Day or Easter. Kids will love helping turn their eggs pink.

Makes 24

1 (15-ounce) can sliced pickled beets
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 dozen hard-cooked eggs

Filling
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fresh-cracked black pepper

Topping
1/4 cup reserved tiny-diced pickled beets, drained well
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

To pickle the eggs, drain the beet liquid into a deep medium container and reserve the beets separately. Add the red wine vinegar and sugar to the beet liquid and stir to dissolve the sugar. Peel the hard-cooked eggs and add to the mixture, being sure they are submerged. Cover and let sit for at least 2 hours or overnight, refrigerated. Stir often to color evenly.

Drain the eggs well, pat dry on paper towels, and discard the beet liquid. Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

To finish the eggs, with a fork, mash the yolks to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, red onion, sugar, and salt, and mix until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.) Add black pepper to taste.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Or fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

Top each egg half with 1/2 teaspoon of pickled beets and a sprinkle of green onion.

Tip: For a “polka dot” effect, firmly pack the eggs into a narrow container so that they are all touching, and do not stir them. The eggs will be lighter pink or white where they touch, lending a fun polka dot pattern.

Recipe from D’Lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey, Andrews McMeel Publishing

Anyone who knows me knows that I love deviled eggs. Whenever I show up to a party with a full party platter of them, they are the first thing to fly off the table!

How much do I love them? Well, I wrote a whole book about them – my new book D’Lish Deviled Eggs features more than 50 classic and creative variations!

Everyone has their favorite way of making them. I know that grandma’s classic recipe is always a go-to for most people, but these one-bite (maybe two-bite!) apps are the perfect platform to get inspired with!

From California Roll Deviled Eggs with a filling made with avocado and wasabi topped with crab and cucumber – to sassy Chipotle Eggs to Cheddar and Bacon—there are tons of different takes on the classic and some fun and kitschy variations too. What better way to use up all those hard-boiled eggs after Easter?

D’lish Deviled Eggs is available in books stores, online and digital. Just think, you’ll have over 50 new ideas for your next party appetizer!

Web: www.dlishdeviledeggs.com for more fun deviled egg tips and recipes.

Tweet Tweet: @chickytweets on Twitter!

So get crackin’ and enjoy some d’lish deviled eggs! –Kathy

Chipotle Deviled Eggs—yum!
(Photo © Kathy Casey Food Studios from D’Lish Deviled Eggs)

Chipotle Deviled Eggs

I’ve been making these for years and they have become a cocktail-party staple. The spicy tomato topping adds textural and visual pizzazz. Serve these with your favorite margarita for a perfect pairing.

Makes 24

1 dozen hard-cooked eggs (recipe follows)

Filling
3 Tbsps mayonnaise
3 Tbsps regular or low-fat sour cream
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 to 2 Tbsps chipotle chile purée (see tip)
1 tsp minced fresh garlic
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsps thinly sliced green onion

Topping
1/2 cup small-diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp minced white onion
2 Tbsps chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 tsps chipotle chile purée (see tip)

Halve the eggs lengthwise and transfer the yolks to a mixing bowl. Set the egg white halves on a platter, cover, and refrigerate.

With a fork, mash the yolks to a smooth consistency. Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, chipotle purée, garlic, and salt, and mix until smooth. (You can also do this in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment.) Stir in the green onion.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a plain or large star tip, then pipe the mixture evenly into the egg white halves. Or fill the eggs with a spoon, dividing the filling evenly.

To make the topping, in a small bowl, mix together the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and chipotle purée. Top each egg half with about 1 tsp of the topping.

Tip: To make chipotle chile purée, place canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, with the sauce, in a food processor or blender and purée until smooth. Freeze any extra purée for another use.

Hard-Cooked Eggs

1 dozen large chicken eggs

Place the eggs in a large nonreactive saucepan and add cold water to 1 inch above the eggs. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the eggs sit for 10 minutes. Remove from the stove and run cool water over the eggs in the pan until they are cooled. When cool, carefully peel them under running water.

Recipe from D’Lish Deviled Eggs by Kathy Casey, Andrews McMeel Publishing

Northwest Distillers are gathering on March 21st at Liberty Bar on Capitol Hill to sample some micro batch gins. Three unique, new gins will be sampled and compared to a famous British Gin. Perfect for the gin lover! For more info, check out their site.

Every year I look forward to the last weekend in March. Why? Because it’s the Annual Razor Clam Festival!

Taking place in Ocean Shores (Washington), this fun event is going to be bigger than ever this year. They’ve even added an extra day, and a new seafood cooking competition!

The festival runs from 9am to 6pm on Saturday, March 23 and 9am to 4pm on Sunday, March 24 at the Ocean Shores Convention Center.  It is an event for the whole family; with live music, craft vendors, cooking competitions and demonstrations, gift giveaways, and so much more. Kids 12 and under get in free.  Adults are $3.00 for each day or $5.00 for both days. There will be lots of great food and chowder samples of course!  Don’t forget to stop at the various Bloody Mary and beer booths to wash down all that great chow.

The KCFS Crew doing the “Official” Razor Clam Dance!

But the true headliner event is the Clam Chowder Cook-Offs for both the pro and amateur chefs. Each year the festival has an array of contestants enter the Amateur Chowder Cook Off and compete for the best of the best on the Northwest Coast. (My chef team will be judging again this year!) The First Place Winner gets bragging rights for a whole year and will be one of the judges for the Professional Clam Chowder Cook Off at the Festival in 2014. How cool is that!

If you like to forage for your own clams, make sure to check out the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife for more info on this year’s dig…and don’t forget your clam license and essentials.

Once you’ve reached your razor clam limits, check out this video that my friend Scott Surdyke and I made on how to clean them properly. And for a super tasty way of cooking this bi-valve, try our recipe for our Clam-tastic Razor Clam Fritters with my Rock-the-World Tartar Sauce below.

So pack up your clammin’ gear (including you razor clam license) and head down to Ocean Shores – it’s the clamtastic place to be! –Kathy

Scott & Kathy’s CLAMTASTIC Razor Clam Fritters
Makes 24 – 26 fritters

3 cups chopped/diced razor clams
3 cups Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake Mix with buttermilk
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1 Tbsp minced lemon zest
2 tsp sea salt or kosher salt
Fresh-ground pepper to taste
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3/4 cup clam nectar (or reserved clam juice)
1/4 cup Northwest amber beer, flat
2 eggs, whisked
1/2 cup minced celery
3/4 cup fresh corn kernels
6 scallions/green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped orange or red bell pepper (about 1/2 pepper)
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Crisco shortening for frying
Lemon wedges for garnish/squeezing
Kathy Casey’s Ultimate Rock-the-World Tartar Sauce (recipe follows)

Drain the clams and save any juice for use in recipe.
In a large bowl combine the Krusteaz, corn meal, baking powder, lemon pepper, zest, salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, clam nectar/juice, beer and eggs to combine.
Then fold in the celery, corn, green onions, bell pepper and drained clams.

Heat 2-inches of Crisco in a large cast iron skilled till hot – about 375 degrees. Scoop out fritters a few at time – I use a 1/4 cup measure – they should be kind of spread out and not too thick. Fry on first side till golden and then flip over. Continue frying till golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Cook fritters in batches being sure oil stays hot. Keep fritters warm in a 300 degree oven on a rack if needed – but they are best served right away – the fritter cook will just have to keep cooking! Serve with Rock the World Tartar Sauce and fresh lemons.

Recipe by Scott Surdyke and Kathy Casey

Kathy’s Rock-The-World Tartar Sauce
Makes 2 cups

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped dill pickle or dill pickle relish
2 Tbsps drained capers, chopped
1 green onion, very thinly sliced
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
2 Tbsps chopped parsley
1/4 tsp celery seed
2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp granulated garlic
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

In a medium bowl, mix all the ingredients.

Recipe adapted from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books

Our favorite “green” celebration is just around the corner! Celebrated for hundreds of years, St. Patrick’s Day certainly calls for a d’lish meal!

Here’s a four leaf clover for a ‘lil luck!

Slow simmered corned beef with tender carrots, onions and cabbage is always traditional fave. Colcannon is a favorite side dish, consisting of sautéed green cabbage, stirred into fluffy mashed potatoes. For another tasty side, serve it up alongside caraway-roasted carrots.

Soda bread is another traditional Irish staple. It is super easy to make, as it is leavened with baking soda instead of slow-rising yeast.

I like to dish my corn beef dinner with a variety of mustards. Try herbed mustard, cassis mustard or country mustard mixed with creamed horseradish – yowza!

For dessert, try a Guinness float: ice cold stout with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream!

Have enough corned beef for leftovers? Perfect! Because after all that “green” beer, stouts, and Black & Tans , there’s nothing better the next day than a corned beef hash topped with a poached egg!

Make sure to leave a comment and fill us in on your St. Patty’s Day traditions, too.

So a toast to St. Patrick’s Day and may the luck ‘o the Irish bring you all good cheer! -Kathy