Foodie Events in NOLA

The Southern Food and Beverage Museum is hosting the first-ever Food Symposium and Literary Feast this weekend, in what should be the first in a series of food-writer friendly events in the Big Easy. The readers and writers conference will bring together food writers, food professionals, gourmets, and everyday foodies together, in an exchange of ideas, expertise, and a good recipe or two. The focus of this years event will be "The World's Fairs in New Orleans and Inventing Creole and Cajun Cuisine," and discussions will be conducted by local food figures such as Susan Tucker, Judy Walker, Peggy Scott LaBorde, Lawrence N. Powell, and others. Lunch will be provided in the ticket price. Check out the website for more information. 

The Big Read Kickoff Party and Food Symposium Reception will be held this Friday from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, featuring free food (sweets, gumbo, red beans and rice, a dish from Leah Chase), new exhibits, and book signings from local writers Sara Roahen (Gumbo Tales); Jerry Strahan (Managing Ignatius); and Bill Loehfelm, (Fresh Kills and Bloodroot). 

-Check out the Garden District Bookshop's book signing event with local chef John Besh this Tuesday. The chef will sign his new book, "My New Orleans," and discuss various aspects of his culinary life and times.

From the Garden District Book Shop's mailing list:

Upcoming Events:  My New Orleans  by John Besh 

  Discussion & Booksigning Tuesday Oct. 27  5:30-7:00 PM  

My New Orleans will change the way you look at New Orleans cooking and the way you see World-famous chef John Besh. It's 16 chapters of culture, history, essay and insight, and pure goodness. Besh tells us the story of his New Orleans by the season and by the dish. Archival, four-color, location photography along with ingredient information make the Big Easy easy to tackle in home kitchens. Cooks will salivate over the 200 recipes that honor and celebrate everything New Orleans.

Chef Susan Spicer of Bayona will be on hand at the Bookshop November 9th at 6:00 PM, to discuss Daniel Boulod's Letters to a Young Chef. Like all Cookbook Club meetings, this event will be held pot-luck style: that means good food, good conversation, and a fascinating discussion on the ins and outs of the restaurant industry. Don't miss it.