The summer heat in south Louisiana can be oppressive. It’s not like the dry heat of southern California or Arizona. No. It’s a heat with teeth … and a fiery humid tongue that licks right through you. It’s a heat that bakes your bones. I am not a fan of the heat. The older I …
Anticipating Christmas
In November 1971 Carly Simon released her second studio album, which was titled Anticipation. The title track of that album soared to number 3 on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart, and the following year it nabbed her a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocalist. It’s a song, she later revealed, that she wrote on the guitar in about …
Ugali with Bean Soup from Tanzania #4Lent4Life
One of my favorite Lenten practices is taking part in the efforts of CRS Rice Bowl. This Lent, CRS Rice Bowl has put together new stories and new recipes for each week of Lent, and I will be sharing one story and one recipe with you each Sunday in Lent. The first story and recipe comes …
Tomato Soup with Lamb and Rice
This recipe for Tomato Soup with Lamb and Rice is one of the recipes I included in my recent book, Around the Table with The Catholic Foodie: Middle Eastern Cuisine. With all the cold weather we have had recently (19 degrees in New Orleans this week!), soup has been on my mind. My wife made …
Seafood Gumbo: A Favorite Christmas Tradition?
It’s Christmas Eve and I have only a few hours to plan tomorrow’s feast. That might seem like an easy task, but it’s not. Our Christmas Day tradition for the last several years involves me making a traditional Seafood Gumbo. You have to understand that Christmas Day is usually the only day of the year …