At the New Orleans Jazz Fest, the food is the headlining act on the first Friday -- at least it is for the Lagniappe tasters. Sure, we love the music, the arts and the people-watching, but on the first Friday of each year New Orleans Jazz Fest, our team of volunteer tasters turns all of its attention to the glorious food. New Orleans Jazz Fest feasting: the experts weigh in Each year an intrepid group of Times-Picayune Lagniappe staffers and friends set out to sample each and every food offering at the New Orleans Jazz Fest. Arts & Entertainment editor Ann Maloney explains the method to this culinary madness in this video. Watch video
Our posse descends on the Fair Grounds to literally taste each and every dish. We tuck into every gumbo, take a bite of each type of po-boy and sample pie after cake after bread pudding.
Over the next few days, we'll compare notes and do a bit of cost-vs-value analysis so we can provide all of you with a list of dishes that simply cannot be missed. (Look for a complete list at this site by Wednesday afternoon and/or pick up the May 6 edition of Lagniappe in The Times-Picayune).
In the meantime, however, here are a few highlights that will help you choose well on Saturday, April 30; and Sunday, May 1. Most (not all, surprisingly) of the dishes that were named in our hall of fame of 2010 dishes still are terrific.
Our advice this year, however, is to come with your sweet tooth. The desserts at the New Orleans Jazz Fest 2011 are terrific. Among the new-to-the-fest dishes this year is one that is destined to be an annual favorite: a chocolate mocha mouse at Coffee Cottage in Food Area II. It's creamy and cool with wonderfully rich chocolate flavor. (Its booth-mate, the white chocolate bread pudding, also is a dessert-lovers favorite.)
"Can a dish be named to the taster's hall of fame on its first year," one taster asked of the mousse. Another taster added: "Every woman on the Fair Grounds has to taste this."
Also new and pleasingly cool this year, La Davina Gelataria's home-made ice cream sandwiches out on the Fair Grounds. The Toroncino ice cream from Angelo Brocato's in Food Area II is a creamy delight, along with the lemon and strawberry ices. (These flavors may vary from day to day.)
Other great desserts that have returned include the sweet potato and apple turnovers from Marie's Sugar Dumplings in Congo Square food area. (OK, we did something decadent. We tried a bite of Brocato's vanilla ice cream (the Toroncino, which is vanilla bean, cinnamon and almond) with the turnovers. The result: a la mode ecstasy.)
As always, the super mango freeze in Food Area 1 and near Fais Do-Do Stage and the authentic Cafe du Monde beignets paired with a frozen cafe au lait in Heritage Food Area were delightful.
But it isn't all sweetness and light. We have a few nits to pick.
What's up with the non-po-boy bread. Some po-boys: the Cajun Duck, the fried crawfish and the Turkey Giardiniera to name a few -- come on crunchy French bread. Others, such as the soft shell crab and hot sausage and crawfish sausage po-boys, are served on a softer, French bread roll. Disappointing.
And, while there are several types of gumbo on the Fair Grounds, not one made us swoon this year. Not one.
Finally, the Strawberry Lemonade: Will it ever be the same? We're thinking no.
But, hey, nobody's perfect. And we challenge anyone to find an outdoor festival that dishes it out like the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell.
Got a favorite dish? Tell us what it is and why you love it so.
