We're Opening! Come Celebrate with Us!

Join us on Thursday, June 5. This is going to be quite a party. Board Members, Regina Charboneau of Twin Oaks Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi, Louis Osteen of Louis's in Pawley's Island, South Carolina, and Jeff Tunks with Acadiana in Washington D.C. will join these local culinary institutions in support of SoFAB:

Angelo Brocato's Italian Ice Creams and Italian Desserts
Antoine's Restaurant

Ba Mien, New Orleans East, sponsored by Seedco Financial

John Besh of the Besh Restaurant Group

Darin Nesbit of Bourbon House

Brigtsen's

Stephen Stryjewski of Cochon

Tory McPhail, Commander's Palace

Creole Delicacies

Jack Martinez of Dickie Brennan's Steakhouse

Leah Chase of Dooky Chase

Galatorie's

Hubig's Pies

Donald Link of Herbsaint

Paul Prudhomme, K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen

Mr. B's Bistro

Ben Thibodeaux of Palace Café

Justin Kennedy of Parkway Bakery

Haley Bitterman of Ralph's on the Park

Roman Candy Company

Justin Pittenger of 7 on Fulton

Jo Ann Clevenger of Upperline

Kerry Seaton of Willie Mae's Scotch House

Legendary talent also extends to the bar. Classic southern cocktails including the Sazerac, Mint Julep, French 75, Pimm's Cup, and Brandy Milk Punch will be served by some of the best bar tenders in the city: Café Adelaide's Lu Brow, Chris McMillan of the Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel, and Chris Hannah of Arnaud's. They will set the tone for the Museum of the American Cocktail at SoFAB. That wing of SoFAB officially opens July 08. The Sazerac Bar is sponsored by Tales of the Cocktail. Abita will have an array of beers available, and Mountain Valley Spring Water will be poured. Wine & softdrinks will also be served.

The Sponsor Reception is at 6:00 pm, and the Supporter Party is from 7:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Sponsor tickets are $125 per person and Supporter tickets are $60 per person.

Laura Appleseed

There is nothing more important than planting a seed. Laura Martin Bacon is planting seeds. And SoFAB is reaping what she has sown.

Many people have been generous about helping SoFAB rebuild our library which was largely turned to pulp by the flood waters after Hurricane Katrina. It was Chris Smith, our Collections Manager, acting on advice from librarian friends, who first began circulating the request for books in library circles. The librarians and libraries, especially the Arkansas State Library, were generous.

Then IACP , through the give-back committee, dispensed the idea that SoFAB would benefit from donations of cookbooks from its members, who were having their annual conference in New Orleans. The idea was refined further as SoFAB promised to inventory the donations and to further dispense those duplicate books to other local libraries and appropriate organization who had also lost their cookbooks after Katrina.

After the IACP conference, which Laura Martin Bacon attended, Laura began writing to key blogs and listserves for writers and readers about SoFAB's need to rebuild its collection. She has planted a seed in the entire United States. From her seeds the blogging world has relayed the message time and time again. I know that if I try to list them that I will leave some out. Newspapers in California have picked up the story further carrying seeds in the wind. Every time I see a box of these books come in, which is almost every day, I know that I have to thank the donor, but I also have to thank Chris, and the IACP give-back committee, and I have to thank that dynamo of passion and good will: Laura.

Thanks to you all soon the citizens of New Orleans - and SoFAB - will have a working, stocked library of cookbooks. For New Orleans is a city of cooks and cookbooks are not only read, but used. We appreciate it.

Culinary Camp

This summer thanks to the generosity of the Emeril Lagasse Foundation SoFAB is able to offer an expanded version of our culinary camp. This summer we will have six weeks of camp for second, third and fourth graders in Orleans Parish and surrounding parish public schools. In addition to the campers we will be welcoming Junior Counselors from local middle and high schools.

Last summer we had great fun making peanut butter, bread, cooking Bananas Foster and making pizza. This year there will be more activities, because we will be at our home at the Riverwalk. We will incorporate the exhibits into our culinary activities.

If you are interested in enrolling your child or volunteering, please contact us at info@southernfood.org.

more iacp

IACP was such a full week and I think my favorite part was the great responses I received about our SOFAB Menu Project. Every group of people I talked to immediately started talking about the Cajun, Creole, Soul Food or other Southern restaurant in their neck of the woods. I learned there is even a Creole restaurant in Oslo, called Storyville. Over and over I met people who were excited about the museum and happy that they could offer something from their home to help us create our collection.

In particular, I met many people willing to help at the Chef Jam fundraiser. What a great night? Fantastic food from all of Emeril's restaurants and a demo from the man himself. Music from Harry Marrone, but also from a band put together of chefs, mostly from the Bethleham, PA area who all generously donated their time and talent to provide entertainment. Janet Cabot and Martha Torres worked so hard to ensure the event was successful and many people told me afterward that it was one of the best Culinary Trust events they had ever attended. It's so affirming to have people willing to work hard to help our museum get off the ground.

I am hopeful that many of the connections we made will lead to partnerships in the future. Who knows what can happen?!