8
MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2013
H
ere in New Orleans and Louisiana, there’s always a reason
to throw a party, and a type of food to celebrate. We’ve
got festivals for just about everything: po-boys, gumbo,
seafood, Pontchatoula strawberries … And now, for the third year,
we’re celebrating our region’s favorite authentic sausage with my
Foundation’s Boudin, Bourbon & Beer Festival. The festival is part
of a two-day fundraising weekend benefitting the Emeril Lagasse
Foundation.
I’ve teamed up with co-chairs Donald Link and Mario Batali to
bring in 40 of the country’s best chefs who will be heading to New
Orleans to serve up some of their favorite dishes using or
inspired by boudin — a pork and rice sausage common
in Louisiana cuisine. It’s always fun to taste the various
boudin dishes. Last year we had nutria boudin, boudin
noir with squid ink, and alligator boudin.We’ve got Abita
craft beer, live entertainment fromCajun country favorites
the Lost Bayou Ramblers, and all the boudin you can eat.
This year we’ve added Buffalo Trace bourbon to the mix
as well. Some of my best mixologists, Max Solano from
Delmonico Steakhouse and Miki Nikolic from e2 emeril’s
eatery in Charlotte, will team up to create two delicious,
unique bourbon cocktails for the event.
It’s a great way to celebrate New Orleans and help raise
funds for a cause near and dear to me. My wife Alden
and I established the Foundation in 2002 to improve
children’s lives in New Orleans. Through culinary
and nutrition education, arts enrichment, life skills
development and summer meal programs, we have donated more
than $5.5 million to our community, through organizations such
as Café Reconcile, the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts,
St. Michael Special School, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, and
Liberty’s Kitchen.
I hope you’ll mark your calendars for Friday, November 8, for
Boudin, Bourbon & Beer at the Foundry in New Orleans! I’ll be
there ready to kick off an unforgettable fundraising weekend that
culminates with Carnivale du Vin, our black tie gala and wine
auction the next night at the Hyatt Regency.
Boudin, Bourbon & Beer
by
Chef Emeril Lagasse
+
photos by
Frank Aymami
Left to right David Blossman (Abita Beer), Bill Goldring (Buffalo Trace), Emeril Lagasse, Donald Link,
Leo Basile (Abita Beer) and Mario Batali // photo by
Steven Freeman
