Harriet Robin New Orleans School of Cooking |
In sum, fiction—the ultimate untruth—must,
of necessity, be based in truth, and supported by facts. Our written untruth must be believable. Thorough
research is how we attain this believable untruth. Research is the lifeblood of
good fiction. If it doesn’t ring true, the reader will soon be bored and more
likely to put our novel down and, worse, add us to their “do not read” list.
But, while research is critical, the sine qua non of good fiction, no one says it has to be boring.
For those of you who follow my writing,
you know that I generally tell stories set in two disparate locations,
Tidewater Virginia and New Orleans. I live in the Tidewater region of Virginia, so research is
more convenient. But New Orleans? For someone living in Virginia Beach, there are logistical challenges. Yet, a writer has to do what a writer has to do…
Whenever I travel to New Orleans, I walk
the French Quarter. I ride the streetcars. I visit the cemeteries. And I deal with those denizens of NOLA
who prognosticate (in return for a small emolument) that they can tell me where
I got my shoes, along with the date, the time, and the place. But this blog isn’t about that aspect of my
research. Today, I want to describe a hands-on, tasty guide to learning about New Orleans cuisine.
On my NOLA expedition earlier this month—strictly
in the name of research, of course—I signed up to participate in a class
offered by the New Orleans School of Cooking—NOSOC (New Orleans School of Cooking |
New Orleans School of Cooking). NOSOC had to cancel my hands-on experience due to unforeseen circumstances,
but they kindly scheduled me into a demonstration class instead. What an
unfortunate, but thoroughly wonderful, happenstance!
The cooking demonstration proceeded under
the expert tutelage of Harriet Robin (Harriet Robin | New
Orleans School of Cooking),
a well-known local chef of extraordinary talent and personality. Our group of
about forty-seven people watched in awe as Harriet orchestrated a five-course symphony of deliciousness. We had a homemade biscuit slathered in butter and blackstrap molasses, Crab
and Corn Bisque, a delicious Praline, Shrimp Creole,
and, for dessert, Bananas Foster - complete with flame and "voodoo dust" - served over ice cream. We delighted in a gastronomical
parade of “Sweet, Savory, Sweet, Savory, Sweet.” Our collective taste buds, or
at least mine, may never be the same!
So, when you read my New Orleans stories, “now
hear this”: if I mention food, you can rest assured that I’ve “been there, done
that.” It’s a sacrifice, I know. But readers must be confident that
I go “once more unto the breach," willingly and without hesitation. For accuracy. For believability. For them.
3 comments:
Love this post! Sounds like another great experience and time in New Orleans for research and great food. The Bananas Foster sounds amazing.
Love your post! I've never been to NOLA but have heard wonderful things about it. All the food sounds delicious! I love hearing about your travels to NOLA!
What sacrifices writers make for their craft! Sounds like a wonderful way to research—especially if there are biscuits involved!
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