225 Magazine [November 2022]

Taco tradition

I’M NOT SURE when or how it started. Only that sometime last year, my husband, Adam, and I started going to Modesto every week for Taco Tuesday.

The pandemic ingrained in me a new, permanent preference for outdoor dining, and we were first drawn to the Mexican restaurant’s great patio. With heaters in the winter and shades for overly hot or rainy days, sitting at one of its little booths just felt cozy. And the $4 taco menu on Tuesdays kept us coming back.

Over more than 52 weeks of meals, I was never disappointed in an order. I think the tacos are the perfect balance of juicy proteins and bright, crisp veggies. The frozen margaritas—with a tajin rim, please!—are strong enough that you really only need to order one.

Soon, the servers were memorizing our orders. (The $10 Dip Trio, the Chicken Adobado Taco, and the Fried Avocado taco.) We even started to hang out with one of our servers socially on the weekends.

Taco Tuesdays became such a ritual for us, Adam and I didn’t even have to remind each other about it. We’d each get home from work—and immediately climb right back into the car toward Burbank Drive.

It was something I truly looked forward to every week— dining at Modesto could make a bad day better, or give us another reason to celebrate a good day.

This must be how the Gilmore Girls felt going to Luke’s Diner every day, I thought. Or maybe how McLaren’s Pub became a go-to meetup for the How I Met Your Mother crew.

Of course, as time passed, things slowly changed around us at the restaurant, as they always do in life.

The food was as great as ever. But as with any business in the culinary industry, the servers shuffled in and out. While new employees trickled in and others moved on, we recognized fewer of the workers.

The server who we were closest to moved out of Louisiana, and we said a bittersweet farewell to her. Our own schedules shifted, too, and we weren’t able to go every single week anymore.

But looking through this month’s cover story—which is about Taco Tuesday and a ton of other taco traditions around town—got me thinking about how much of our lives happen over restaurant dinner tables. How we build rituals around food.

When I think of 2021 and 2022, I’ll always think of Modesto. I processed so many memories and life events over tacos and margaritas at this one special restaurant.

I made new friends, and gathered with old ones. It became my happy place. There’s no better way to put it.

What’s your happy place in Baton Rouge?

If you haven’t found it, I hope you do. And I hope you find a way to go as often as you can—maybe even every week.

Pie chart

225 recipe writer Tracey Koch is sharing a collection of pie recipes for this month’s Dining In column. Not only is Tracey teaching us how to make a simple from-scratch crust, she’s also sharing mem ories of family gatherings. We hope you’ll try one of her family’s recipes for your own get-togethers this season.

Turn to page 58 for more—and subscribe to the 225 Daily newsletter, where the rest of the 225 editorial staff will talk about our favorite holiday pie recipes later this month.

Bye, trash

Baton Rouge has an issue with litter—and a lot of people are tired of it. Last month, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome announced the launch of a new task force dedicated to eradicating the problem. Meanwhile, there are plenty of independent citizens also taking a stand. In a feature by 225 features writer Maggie Heyn Richardson, we detail the efforts of volunteer group Keep Tiger Town Beautiful. It began as a Facebook page to coordinate cleanup efforts, and has already collected more than 5,000 contractor bags of trash around town. Turn to page 19 to learn more about the group—and how you can get involved, too.

To tacos and traditions,

Jennifer Tormo Alvarez 225 Editor

EXPERIENCE RE /INVENTED

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experience in commercial real estate, preceded by civil engineering.  She is the managing broker and a lawyer, with experience and background in property law. Together they offer an

of experience to support their agents.

The

Ask the EXPERT

MESSAN FOLIVI INTERNIST

WHAT IS INFLUENZA?

Influenza, also known as the flu, is a common, highly contagious viral illness. The most common symptoms are fever, cough, and body aches, however, a sore throat, headache, nasal discharge, and weakness or fatigue may also occur. The severity of symptoms can range from mild enough to manage at home, all the way to severe illness requiring hospitalization and respiratory support.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO

THE VACCINE EACH

best way to fight influenza is to prevent it in the first place! Once you have been infected, it’s hard to predict the course of the disease and the complications that may arise. Every year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) analyzes each vaccine subtype and makes the necessary adjustment for the upcoming season based on the strains and trends of influenza infections. Data shows that the flu vaccine prevents illnesses, medical visits, hospitalizations and deaths related to the influenza virus. Getting your flu shot every year is crucial in preventing the influenza infection.

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EDITORIAL

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Mirror, mirror: Eloise Market and Cakery masters TikTok trend with new mirror cakes

The Kinchen family has been cheering on the Tigers

On our restaurant review of the traditional Chinese fare at Cheng’s Restaurant and Bar:

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The owner is always there and such a great guy!

The walnut shrimp ”

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“Best Chinese in the city!”

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For the first time ever, the Southern Jaguars go head to head with the LSU Tigers at Tiger Stadium

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Try it Tuesdays Taste-testing interesting (and Instagrammable!) dishes around town, from Korean corn dogs to Dole Whip floats to unique eggrolls.

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As the weather cools off, Baton Rouge seems to come alive. Tour fall fun with us, from pumpkin patches and outdoor concerts to holiday menus at local restaurants.

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November Bird is the word

Chef Justin Ferguson’s essential tips for a succulent Thanksgiving turkey

AS ANYONE WHO’S ever prepared a Thanksgiving turkey can attest, the fear of serving a dry, bland bird is real. Success and disaster are separated by razor-thin margins, thanks to turkey’s large mass and meager fat content. It’s one of the trickiest proteins on the planet to get right.

“That’s why you have to brine it,” says BRQ chef partner Justin Ferguson. “It’s hands down the most important thing you can do to make sure your turkey turns out.”

Ferguson has had plenty of time to hone his turkey chops. Since the barbecue eatery opened in 2017, it’s seen steady increases in Thanksgiving catering orders. This year, Ferguson and his team will smoke or roast up to 500 turkeys for to-go orders and onsite catering for clients that include the LSU football team. The restaurant and its large patio are also open on Thanksgiving Day, with seatings until 5:30 p.m.

“It’s the biggest day of the year for us,” Ferguson says. “We come in Wednesday morning and work nonstop for about 45 hours straight without sleeping until we’re done Thursday evening. It’s massive.”

Each turkey is brined in a house-made solution for 24 hours before going into the hickory wood smoker or oven. Sides include cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, Brussels sprouts with bacon and dates, mashed potatoes with turkey gravy and a salad with Ferguson’s signature cranberry, maple and tahini dressing.

HOW TO BRINE YOUR BIRD

Create a brining solution by dissolving one cup each of sugar and salt into a gallon of water. (Heat the water to dissolve, then cool it completely.)

A natural sweetener can be substituted for sugar, says Ferguson, who uses honey in BRQ’s brine. To the solution, add bay leaves, fresh thyme and other herbs of choice. Place a thawed bird into a clean, 5-gallon bucket and pour in the solution. Refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours. If you don’t have room in your refrigerator, Ferguson says, submerge the bucket into a larger vessel filled with ice.

Roast the bird at 325 degrees until the breast meat reaches 162 degrees, Ferguson says. Let it rest for at least 20-25 minutes, during which it’ll continue to cook, until it reaches 165 degrees. Don’t be tempted to slice into it immediately after it comes out of the oven, Ferguson says.

“Then all the juices will run out and it’ll be dry,” he says. “Letting it rest keeps it juicy.”

For that, everyone will be thankful.

While Baton Rouge remains steadfast in family traditions, a growing number of home cooks rely on restaurants and caterers for the Thanksgiving meal, Ferguson says. Some families prefer to dine out, leaving the shopping, preparation and clean-up to someone else. Others like to cook, but might supplement their recipes with a prepared bird or a few extra sides.

“A lot of people find that by the time they shop and take the time to prepare things, it’s cheaper for them to pick up or eat out,” Ferguson says.

For those cooks who cling to preparing the turkey, Ferguson stands by his brining technique.

“You’re adding salinity to the bird,” he says, “so the flavor and moisture penetrate.” brqrestaurant.com

PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

Seasons’ garnish

For a trendy holiday cocktail, try dried citrus cocktail wheels

DEHYDRATED SLICES OF lemon, lime and orange are popular garnishes in craft cocktails, adding both elegance and a hint of flavor to a wide variety of spirits. With south Louisiana’s citrus season kicking off this month, it’s a great time to explore them.

“A lot of times people are curious, and they say, ‘This is pretty; what is it?,’” says Amanda Plumb, general manager of The Overpass Merchant, which floats a dehydrated slice of lemon in its popular Prague Ghost, a drink made with cucumber vodka, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, simple syrup and a finish of soda water. Other drinks on the menu see the garnish as well, like the Interstate Love Song, made with honeysuckle vodka, kiwi syrup, lemon juice, soda and bitters.

The Merchant has used its own dehydrator for the last six years to dry lemon, lime and orange citrus wheels for cocktails. Plumb says that while the garnish is edible, it’s more about the suggestion of flavor and the gilded look it gives the cocktail.

“It’s different from using fresh citrus,” she says, “and it’s just a really pretty way to finish a drink.”

Dry your own citrus at home with a dehydrator, an air fryer or an oven set to 150 degrees. Place thin slices of fruit on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 4 hours, turning halfway through until all moisture has been removed. Store in an airtight container. theoverpassmerchant.com

BATON ROUGE’S HOMETOWN Southern Jaguars take the field Thanksgiving weekend for the 49th annual Bayou Classic match-up against Grambling State University at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Kickoff is 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, but the weekend is full of festivities before and after the game. On Friday, Nov. 25 at 7 p.m., the famed Battle of the Bands competition takes place with Southern’s Human Jukebox positioned in the the dome’s south end zone, and the Grambling State Marching Band in the north end. The Greek Show, a variety step show, follows, featuring sororities and fraternities from Southern and Grambling performing high-energy percussive dances. On Saturday morning before the game, the fan festival takes place with a parade through downtown New Orleans at 9:30 a.m. And of course, the nationally televised halftime show features the two marching bands showcasing their signature dance steps and musical talent on game-day. mybayouclassic.com

580,000

THE ESTIMATED NUMBER of Varsity Sports T-shirts distributed to patrons over 22 years. When owner Jenni Peters opened the first of four locations in 2000 on Perkins Road, its companion business, Dream Silk Screen, opened next door. “We said that since it was so easy and reasonably inexpensive for us, let’s give a free T-shirt with every shoe purchase to get the brand out in the community,” Peters says. “That was supposed to last a month.” The shirts are ubiquitous in Baton Rouge, worn by patrons of all ages around town and on countless trips and adventures. Peters says customers have worn their free Varsity shirts in spots that include Mount Everest, on a camel ride in Egypt, while skydiving and on the set of Good Morning, America.

Joe Ross, president of the teachertraining nonprofit Reach University, which received a projected $6.9 million U.S. Department of Education grant in September in partnership with the Louisiana Resource Center for Educators and New Schools for Baton Rouge. The grant is intended to accelerate a teacher apprenticeship program that will help fill vacancies in high-need districts. Louisiana is currently facing a serious teacher shortage. At the end of the first week of the 2022-2023 school year, the East Baton Rouge Parish School System had 300 vacancies, including more than 200 full-time teachers, The Advocate reported in August.

PHOTO

The Overpass Merchant’s Prague Ghost cocktail

“With this SEED funding, we’ll double Reach’s qualified teacher pipeline from nearly 600 to 1,200 diverse educators across underserved parishes in Baton Rouge and throughout Louisiana.”

STAFF PHOTO

Buzz feed

21,000

number of people who moved out of Louisiana from 2018 to 2019, according to a recent report from the Tax Foundation. Representing 0.45% of the state’s population, it

Louisiana’s

among the highest in the country, behind only five

of-state

states.

$2.3 million

The NIL valuation of LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, who was the top-ranked female athlete for NIL valuations, according to college sports website. Dunne was one of 225’s People to Watch in the Capital Region for 2022, and was also on a recent cover of the Baton Rouge Business Report Find her on Instagram at @livvydunne.

Compiled by Jennifer Tormo Alvarez

Planting a seed

A former church off Perkins Road has been transformed into a budding plant destination. Me-Moes Lawn and Landscaping owners Jeremy and Kate Spikes opened the Plant Barn Garden Center and Nursery in September. Inside and around the rustic building, shoppers can browse aisles of plants the owners say are easy to install and maintain. Find it on Instagram at @theplantbarnbr.

Ghosted by Caliente

After a decade in business, Caliente Mexican Craving closed its Lee Drive location last month. In a Facebook post, the restaurant explained it aims to own—rather than lease—any business locations going forward, and it also hopes to focus more time on growing its ghost kitchen (which offers takeout), its new catering brand Rouge La La Catering and its Central location. calientemexicancraving.com

That’s the spirit

Fred’s Vodka, an 80-proof vodka bottled at Sugarfield Spirits, is thanks to a collaboration between the Gonzales distillery and Fred’s Bar in Tigerland. Aiming to bring better quality to mixed drinks like the Fred’s Screwdriver, the bar started pouring the small-batch spirit in September. fredsintigerland.com

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The Michelada at Caliente Mexican Craving

COLLIN RICHIE

TRY THIS

Game on Where—and how—to go hunting this holiday season

By Zane Piontek

THERE’S ONE SEASON—AND one long weekend in particular—that sounds the call for locals to reprise a treasured pastime and for visitors to experience why the state earned the moniker The Sportsman’s Paradise. And that time is fast approaching: Come Thanksgiving, our swamps and woodlands will teem with nearly as many hunters as they do beasts, fish and fowl.

“I think for a lot of people in Louisiana, it’s the sport of it, and it’s the fellowship of being able to hang out with people who enjoy something in common,” says Craig C. Greene, hunting enthusiast and surgeon at Baton Rouge Orthopedic Clinic. “I do it with my sons, and it’s not so much about the deer or the ducks. …

It’s an excuse to be together.”

225 put out a call to local hunters like Greene to offer their advice on how to navigate the state’s many ripe hunting grounds.

Here’s a few of their favorite spots.

DUCK HUNTING

Greene recommends taking the short trek to Calcasieu and Cameron parishes to catch a great migration pattern of birds during this time of the year, which he says “yields a lot of game.” Richard Ward III, a local attorney and avid hunter and fisher, also visits the tiny town of Venice, Louisiana—nicknamed “the end of the world”—to hunt from the marshy lands near the southernmost point of the state. Scott McClain, senior area director at Young Life in Baton Rouge, recommends working with the professionals at Cajun Charters in the tiny village of Cocodrie for guidance.

FISHING

The Atchafalaya Basin is ripe with all types of wildlife, and it is especially promising for anglers of any skillset. “What’s inter esting about the Atchafalaya is it’s a flood basin,” Greene explains. “Whenever they open the Morganza Locks, they flood the basin to drain the river, and the amount and the type (of animals) … it looks like Noah’s Ark, what’s coming up on the levees.” Other popular locations include Port Fourchon, Venice and Cocodrie.

DEER AND HOG HUNTING

Many hunters head north to hunt these larger, prized species. McClain recom mends Cutler Creek in DeSoto Parish for hog hunting. Ward recommends the Richard K. Yancey Wildlife Management Area near the Mississippi border. For sites closer to home, the two also visit Big Bucks in Clinton and the Sherburne Wild life Management Area, both of which are located about an hour from Baton Rouge.

TIPS + TRICKS

If you’re a beginner, go with someone who’s experienced.

“Because then you can learn, and it’s more fun,” Greene says. Ward adds, “Make some trips with them and just get out there and start figuring it out. Don’t be scared to give it a try. ”

Try booking a professional guide. Greene recommends Grosse Savanne, a Lake Charles lodge with accommodations and guides for fishing. For game hunting, check out Win Hawkins Oak Grove Hunting Club in Creole, Louisiana, or Longleaf Plantation in Mississippi.

Familiarize yourself with the terrain and property layout—especially if you plan to hunt at night. Scope out the area before you begin your hunt. “On public properties, you have to be extra careful, because you don’t know where someone else may be,” Greene says. “You don’t want to mistake another hunter for something you’re hunting.”

Remember there’s more to the hunt than the trophy of the big game.

“For me, the success of the hunt is not whether you kill or don’t kill, it’s more just getting out there and enjoying the outdoors,” Ward says. “Regardless of what you bring home, I think you’ll have a lot of enjoyment and it’s really relaxing. And there’s no better time to do it than in Louisiana in the fall.”

White-tailed deer are the most common and sustainable game species, found all over the state, according to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries.

Hunting day trips

COURTESY GROSSE SAVANNE

Grosse Savanne, a Lake Charles hunting and

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BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

Frustration led this group of residents to collect thousands of bags of trash

of Tiger town litter warriors The

Jennifer Richardson organizes litter clean-ups through her volunteer group, Keep Tiger Town Beautiful.

This Month @ BREC [NOVEMBER]

VETERAN’S DAY AT THE ZOO BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 5 | 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

HOMAGE TO A HERO: JANE GOODALL Milton J. Womack Park Nov. 5 | 10:30 a.m.-noon

INSIDE OUT ARTS

Zachary Community Park Nov. 5 | 10-11:30 a.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK

JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION Church Street Park Nov. 5 | 5-7 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE THE PARK: FATHERHOOD Ben Burge Park Nov. 5 | 6:30-9 p.m.

TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE Highland Road Park Observatory Nov. 8 | 2-5 a.m.

ART UNWINED

Baringer Art Center Nov. 11 | 6:30-8:30 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK: SOUL Baker Park Nov. 11 | 6:30-9 p.m.

ZOO RUN RUN

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 12 | Registration begins at 6:30 a.m.

SATURDAY MORNING STUDIO Milton J. Womack Park Nov. 12 | 10:30 a.m.-noon

MOVIE IN THE PARK: VIVO Cedar Ridge Park Nov. 12 | 6:30-9 p.m.

SUNSHINE SOCIAL: FALL Y’ALL HOEDOWN Jefferson Hwy Park Nov. 18 | 6-9 p.m.

MOVIE IN THE PARK MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU North Street Park Nov. 18 | 6:30-9 p.m.

FALL FUN FEST Zachary Community Park Nov. 19 | 1-4 p.m.

BREC.ORg/thismonth

BREC does not discriminate on the basis

race, creed, color, national

disability,

BREC Wins Gold!

in the Nation

HRPO 25 TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Highland Road Park Observatory Nov. 19 | 4 p.m.-midnight

WINTER WREATH MAKING Anna T. Jordan Community Park Nov. 20 | 2-4 p.m.

ZOOLIGHTS

BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo Nov. 25-Dec. 30 (Closed Dec. 24 + 25) 5:30-8 p.m. | Grounds close at 9 p.m.

CREOLE CHRISTMAS + HOLIDAY FAIR Magnolia Mound Nov. 27 | noon-5 p.m.

STOPPED AT A red light in January 2021, Jennifer Richardson glanced out her car window and grew disgusted. The long median traversing Essen Lane at Jefferson Highway, as well as the grassy rights of way on both sides of the street, were, as usual, full of trash.

“The weeds were tall, and it was full of beer cans, bottles and cigarette butts,” says Richardson, a realtor who uses the thoroughfare regularly. “Every time I’d go to that red light, I would just get white-knuckled. I was so angry, and so I posted on Facebook, ‘Does anybody want to meet me at 6:30 in the morning on Saturday to clean this up?’”

A few replied that they would. The day arrived and Richardson, who showed up first, started pulling weeds and bagging trash. As she worked, she recalls feeling a bit self-conscious and wondered if anyone else would actually join her.

“Then, all of a sudden, I looked up and people were coming over to help,” Richardson, 63, says. “They showed up. We cleaned it up in about three hours and picked up 43 contractor bags full of trash.”

The cleanup was so successful, Richardson formed the Facebook group Keep Tiger Town Beautiful and planned subsequent volunteer events in other areas. Nearly two years later, the grassroots organization has more than 3,100 Facebook members and hundreds of consistent “litter warriors” who participate in regular trash removal events around the city.

“Regular” is the operative word since the cleanups take place six days a week, Monday through Saturday from 6:45 to 8:45 a.m., rain or shine. Richardson posts location details on the Facebook group, and volunteers arrive wearing rubber boots and gloves. Some bring portable garden carts for loading and pulling bags, making it easier for them to maneuver heavy loads.

By early October, Keep Tiger Town Beautiful had picked up 5,000 contractor bags of trash, and that didn’t include the scads of discarded tires, other car parts, and “buckets and buckets of buckets of drug needles,” the group has also retrieved, Richardson says. Volunteer Debbie Corbo says she once recovered a loaded pink handgun. The group turned it over to police, she says.

The movement is growing. More volunteers are joining or supporting the organization weekly, with some donating contractor bags and other equipment.

5,000

The group has also inspired other citizen groups in Denham Springs, Brusly and New Orleans to model similar programs, Richardson says.

A worsening problem

Richardson believes the litter problem in Baton Rouge has grown so much that people simply don’t notice it anymore.

It’s a mood that’s in direct contrast to the anti-litter sentiment of the late ’70s to early ’90s, when public service campaigns affirmed littering as socially abhorrent. There was Keep America Beautiful’s powerful “Crying Indian” PSA, which showed polluted roads and waterways from the viewpoint of a distraught Native American who sheds a single tear at the ad’s close. There was the U.S. Forest Service’s “Give a hoot! Don’t pollute,” children’s campaign featuring Woodsy the Owl.

And in the late ’80s, the Texas Department of Transportation and Development rolled out its on-brand anti-litter campaign “Don’t Mess with Texas,” which significantly reduced trash during that period on Texas roadways.

The impact of such campaigns seems to have waned, at least in some parts of the country. Litter in Baton Rouge is worse than ever, says Department of Public Works director of transportation and drainage Fred Raiford—and its sources are many.

“It didn’t happen overnight. This problem has existed for probably about the last 10 years, in my opinion,” Raiford says. “I think you’ve got people doing illegal dumping. You’ve got people who don’t know that they’re (littering). Trash may be flying out of the back of their truck. You’ve got people and businesses that don’t put covers on (cans), and you have people who blatantly don’t care. When I see people dump their ashtrays and cigarette butts on the curb, there’s nothing more frustrating to me than that. But that happens all the time.”

Raiford says that DPW sends from five to 12 or so workers to pick up litter daily, often in areas that are scheduled for grass cutting. DPW intentionally leaves bags out for a day or two to show the public the area has been cleaned. But within a couple more days, Raiford says those areas are covered in litter again.

Raiford applauds Keep Tiger Town Beautiful’s efforts, saying that the public sector can’t keep up and needs local partners.

Illustrating the city’s new desire to engage volunteer groups in the litter fight, Mayor President Sharon Weston Broome announced the launch of the Brighten Up Baton Rouge Litter Initiative in early October, a 20-person task force whose first phase includes a public awareness campaign and a website, brightenupbatonrouge.com, which will include opportunities to register for clean-ups and to borrow tools for clean-ups from the City Parish. No volunteers from Keep Tiger Town Beautiful were asked to serve on the task force.

Desensitized to trash

Gathered on a crisp fall day near the Perkins Road I-10 on-ramp, Richardson and volunteers Corbo, Sue Abshire, Ray Juno and Su King say they believe residents have become numb to high levels of litter.

That morning, the group collected nine bags of trash from a wooded swath along the I-10 on-ramp and behind local businesses like Parrain’s.

The number of contractor-sized bags of trash Keep Tiger Town Beautiful volunteers had picked up as of this past October.

As they normally do, the group reported the location of the trash bags to DPW for pick-up, which usually happens within the week, Richardson says.

Few areas in Baton Rouge are immune to loose trash and debris, from trendy areas like this one, to countless intersections around town trafficked by panhandlers, and to the University and City Park Lakes.

“Our children grew up here, and they’re used to living in filth,” Richardson says. “They don’t notice it until they go on vacation and say, ‘Mom, it’s so beautiful there; I want to live there.’ And I say, ‘Yeah, it’s because there’s no litter.’”

Richardson continues, “And it’s so sad because we have one of the most beautiful states. Mark Twain said that Baton Rouge was like a bride covered in flowers. Now, it’s covered in litter.”

And there are stats to back up their view. A recent $500,000 EPA grant, following years of activism by Burden Museum and Gardens Director Jeff Kuehny and activist Marie Constantin, removed an astounding 81 tons of litter from the forested area behind Burden, trash that had collected over many years by way of stormwater runoff. Aluminum cans and plastic bottles

that never made it into recycling bins or garbage cans were swept into the stormwater system and into Ward Creek. When the creek occasionally backed up, its litter load was beached in the area behind Burden.

The litter has been removed, but it will take catchment devices installed in drainage canals, as well as a change in the public’s behavior, to prevent it from happening again.

A quick glance at the Keep Tiger Town Beautiful Facebook group shows anecdotes of watching drivers dump trash out of their windows at red lights or in grocery parking lots. But the group is hoping to shake people out of their complacency by example.

It’s beginning to catch on. As they work each morning, retrieving Styrofoam to-go boxes, plastic bottles and fast-food wrappers, some motor ists honk and wave, yelling encourag ing words or expressing thanks.

Richardson recounts one story of a woman who spontaneously pulled her car over to help. Others have made donations for bag and equipment purchases. Corbo says a man at a bus stop, watching her pick up litter, thanked her and reached into his pocket and handed her $5.

“I bought bags with it,” she says.

Sue Abshire is one of many Keep Tiger Town Beautiful volunteers who say they believe Baton Rouge residents have become numb to high levels of litter

And multiple donors, including Benny’s Car Wash, Mockler Beverage, Cajun Electric and SOLA Pharmaceuticals, donated a total of 64 trash cans for intersections and public rights of way, areas that have been

magnets. Anchored with concrete and lined with bags, they’re regularly emptied by Keep Tiger Town Beautiful.

As for the locations where clean-ups take place, Richardson says they’re generally in high trafficked areas in Baton Rouge where she and her core volunteers “live, work and play,” so that they can monitor the removal of the bags and clean areas up again if they become re-polluted.

It’s hard for observers not to get inspired when they see a group of volunteers taking it upon themselves to remove litter with such determination— and that’s exactly what Keep Tiger Town Beautiful hopes.

“If everybody and every business would take care of their own property, it would make a world of difference,” King says.

Richardson agrees.

“Just do it for five minutes a day, five minutes or less,” she says. “Even one minute a day, you would not believe the trash you could get off the street.”

Who’s responsible for removing LSU lakes litter?

WHILE THE EBR Department of Public Works and BREC provide various forms of maintenance for the University Lakes system and its current parks and pathways, neither entity claims responsibility for removing trash from the lakes themselves.

Thus, Styrofoam cups and plastic bottles often bob in the water alongside the lakes’ migratory birds and other wildlife. They can collect in large quantities, as seen here in October on Lake Erie.

City Park Lake and Lake Erie, owned by the CityParish, are particularly susceptible to litter. The two are part of a large watershed and receive runoff from surrounding areas. Plus, Interstate-10 crosses City Park Lake’s north end—a likely source of litter from motorists. Corporation Canal, a drainage canal for stormwater alongside University Lake, has also been a spot where large amounts of litter collects.

With Phase I of the University Lakes Project expected to kick off in the next few weeks, changes to how litter is

addressed could be underway.

The project calls for an independent entity to handle maintenance of the entire system, says project manager Mark Goodson.

Whether or not that entity will remove litter from the bodies of water remains to be seen, but the project also calls for the installation of riprap, or netting to help block larger litter from entering the lakes as water from the surrounding areas drains into them. The devices will need to be emptied regularly, Goodson says.

A $15 million FEMA grant, announced in August, is intended to improve drainage along Corporation Canal, and will include devices that help catch litter there, Goodson says. Neither of those advancements address the litter in the lakes currently.

STAFF PHOTO

Jordan Lavergne

NOT LONG AFTER moving to Baton Rouge to attend LSU on an academic scholarship, a young Jordan Lavergne saw his first real concert: Kendrick Lamar at The Varsity. He’d never been particularly inclined toward music, but something shifted at that show.

Upon meeting Lamar after his performance, Lavergne was struck by how meek and personable the rap luminary was. He says the experience showed him that no innate exceptionality was required to forge a career in music; all it took, he realized, was passion. And it was that show that sparked his own.

Lavergne began honing his craft by freestyling “incessantly” and drinking in inspiration from old Tupac interviews. Soon, he was making his way to open mics, performing at venues like the Culture Reggae Club and the Tigerland Hookah Lounge, and quickly graduating to regular paid shows. He soon adopted his now-signature pseudonym, Jazz Bandito.

Now 28, Lavergne has pivoted toward management and curation, overseeing and advising several Baton Rouge artists and

organizing various events around town, such as a Juneteenth concert this summer at The Varsity. But just as his passion was not limited to rapping, nor is it limited to the music industry. Of equal importance, Lavergne says, is his work in massage therapy and spiritual healing, which even landed him a feature in The New York Times

“Jazz is definitely a Jack of all trades,” says Ba ton Rouge music producer, engineer and audio technician Joseph Swiger, Lavergne’s close busi ness partner and friend. “He’s a go-getter. He’s versatile. He’s not really stuck in his own box.”

As Lavergne’s musician friends grew to take their crafts more seriously, he noticed a common need for structure and guidance. Having previously worked in management positions in restaurants, he felt that was a role he could fill.

In the meantime, his spiritual journey became just as important as his musical one.

Raised in a nondenominational Christian family, Lavergne began to feel spiritually adrift during college and started studying world religions, including texts like the Islamic Quran and Hindu Upanishads.

It led him to train in the spiritual healing technique known as reiki. Now a master of the practice, Lavergne says he helps his clients to alleviate physical, mental and spiritual ailments by tracing central energy points, like the heart, throat and third eye, with crystals.

“Jordan is definitely very receptive. He asked very aware, conscious questions during training,” says Lisa Hernandez, a longtime reiki practitioner who mentored Lavergne. “I know that he’s also applied much of what he’s learned in his personal practice.”

Lavergne is a licensed massage therapist, too, working at The Emporium on Government Street and keeping his own office at Move Better Bodyworks.

There’s a duality between these seemingly divergent career paths, Lavergne says. His mission, in everything, is to guide others.

“I’m realizing no matter what I do—whether I’m a rapper, a manager, a healer—my goal is to help people. Healing is my calling.”

ZANE PIONTEK

“We’re eaten up by this big machine that is the industry, but we’re all still people. So (my goal) is just bringing that back: being a person with a soul.”

Companies

OVER

Our team counts our many blessings which include our talented and committed executive team and associates, our extraordinary properties and our best practices which have been developed since our inception in 1982.

We are as excited and energetic today as we were 40 years ago about the prospects of continued growth and evolution of Wampold Companies. Cheers!

4,800 multifamily units

1650 hotel rooms

Over 1,650,00 sq. ft. of commercial office space

THE WATERMARK HOTEL

Looking Ahead...

Rivermark Centre

Rivermark Centre

to See More of What’s to Come!

CITY PLAZA

THE RENAISSANCE HOTEL

II CITY PLAZA

UNITED CENTRE

BAYONNE AT SOUTHSHORE

THE CRESCENT

BY CYNTHEA CORFAH & MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

REPORTING BY OLIVIA DEFFES & MEG RYAN

all day

FROM TRENDY TACO TUESDAYS TO TRADITIONAL TACQUERIAS, HERE’S WHERE TO GET YOUR TACO FIX IN BATON ROUGE

WE LOVE TACOS for lots of reasons.

They’re associated with fun, festive occasions. They’re flexible, playing in the gourmet space one day and serving as the ultimate hangover cure the next.

They’re full of possibilities. Stuff them with your favorite vegan ingredients, or ply them with eggs and eat them for breakfast.

They’re delicious when authentic, but they’re also hard to resist when reinterpreted in Americanized splendor.

Never have tacos been more wide-ranging and interesting in the Capital Region. From taquerias, to taco-centric food trucks to a new generation of eateries elevating this beloved food, Baton Rouge is chock-full of taco experiences waiting to be savored. Let’s take a tour.

Psst! These breakfast tacos are vegan. Find them at MJ's Cafe.

Little known fact: Kolache Kitchen’s breakfast tacos are just as popular as the eatery’s kolaches.

Get real

STAND IN LINE at the taco counter at La Morenita on Florida Boulevard, and watch the mechanized tortilla maker shoot out flat, fresh corn tortillas—the same ones that will be used in a few minutes when you place your order.

The tacos here, ordered to-go or for eating at one of the supermarket’s resident booths, are the real deal.

Order single tacos with soft corn or flour tortillas stuffed with barbacoa, fajita-style chicken or beef, el pastor (braised, spiced pork studded with pineapples), pork carnitas and sometimes tongue.

Once constructed, your tacos are handed over, and your next stop is the self-serve condiment counter, scattered with the debris of previous enthusiasts with bad aim. Load up your lunch with toppings—like cabbage, pickled car rots and jalapenos, chopped onions, cilantro and a variety of salsas—and off you go to savor the playful interplay of jaw-tingling flavors.

HEYN RICHARDSON

LA MORENITA

Meat market and grocery store serving freshly made tacos and other dishes from a cafeteria-style counter 7981 Florida Blvd.

Find it on Facebook

IDEAL MARKET

Supermarket chain with two locations in Baton Rouge known for its large hot food line, including authentic tacos in many flavors 1817 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. 9301 Burbank Drive idealmarket.com

BIRRIA Y BARBACOA

Hole-in-the-wall eatery serving birria tacos, braised beef tacos grilled on both sides and served with consomme for dipping 10457 Airline Highway

Find it on Facebook

LA SALVADOREÑA

While the restaurant is better known for its pupusas and other Latin American dishes, you can also find $3 tacos served with chicken, carne asada (beef), el pastor (pork) or fish. 3285 Nicholson Drive orderlasalvadorenarestaurant.com

TU TIENDA LATINA TAQUERIA

For years, this small restaurant and grocery store has been serving up all manner of tacos, including tender tongue and other authentic flavors 6031 Siegen Lane, Suite B.

Find it on Facebook

LA MEXICANA

Part grocery, part taqueria, this spot serves braised and shredded beef and chicken, as well as pork tacos with onions, cilantro and fresh avocado

7034 Siegen Lane

Find it on Facebook

DIGIT

The first-known commercial existence of tacos in the U.S., traced back to a newspaper mention. The word “taco” was born in Mexico in the 18th century, with Mexican migrant street vendors eventually bringing the dish to the states.

Baton Rouge is loaded with spots to enjoy authentic tacos. Here are a few to sample

Fresh tacos from the counter at La Morenita market on Florida Boulevard

Taco ’bout A DEAL

MODESTO TACO TEQUILA Whiskey is closed on Mondays, so when it starts its week on Tuesdays, it does so with a bang. Its Taco Tuesday ritual, when the restaurant dishes out discounted tacos, margaritas and apps, is so popular that about 2,000 tacos fly out of the kitchen by the end of the night.

“Taco Tuesday is a wildly popular day, not just for us, but it seems like it has taken off across the country,” Ozzie Fernandez, Modesto’s founder, says. “Everybody’s eating tacos on Tuesday.”

He’s right. Around the Capital City, you’ll find authentic Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants offering dis counted prices on these delicacies on the second day of the work week. In fact, you’ll even find a few non-Mexican bars and restaurants that dabble in taco making when Tuesday comes around. Whether you like corn or flour tortillas or prefer birria over shredded chicken, you can get all the tacos with flavors that will please your palate and prices that will please your wallet.

Here are some spots to find local deals on tortilla treats.

OLIVIA DEFFES

Mexican and Tex-Mex spots

BLUE CORN MODERN MEXICAN

The Perkins Road eatery celebrates Taco Tuesday by knocking down the price of its specialty tacos to $4. bluecornrestaurant.com

MODESTO TACO TEQUILA WHISKEY

With the word “taco” in the name—and a prime location near LSU—you know Modesto has deals every Tuesday. Enjoy $4 tacos, $10 Dip Trios and half off Modesto Ritas, served fro zen or on the rocks with a salt or tajin rim. eatmodesto.com

GOV’T TACO

Get back to the basics each week with Gov’t Taco’s $2.50 Regular Tacos. The Regular Tacos include a hard shell with ground beef, cheese, lettuce, tomato and sour cream served with a packet of Valentina hot sauce. govttaco.com

ROCK PAPER TACO

On Tuesdays, Rock Paper Taco’s two locations knock off a few dollars on their taco combos. Prices vary, but you can order discounted plates with chips, salsa and a drink. rockpapertaco.com

MAMI’S MEXICAN

Take a trip to Zachary to indulge in $2.50 tacos all day at this small town favorite. (This deal excludes the shrimp and fish tacos.) mamismex.com

LA CHILANGA TACO HOUSE

Head out to La Chilanga on Lee Drive for $2 Tacos, $3 tequila shots and $4 margaritas. This eatery turns Taco Tuesday into a party, complete with a DJ spinning tracks. Find them on Facebook

TORCHY’S TACOS

Get a cheap taco fix at Texas-born favorite Torchy’s Tacos with $3 Trailer Park and Green Chile Pork tacos. Whet your appetite with its famous green chile queso, which is priced at $4 on Tuesdays. torchystacos.com

Non-Mexican spots

MID CITY BEER GARDEN

We all know beer and tacos make a great pair. It only makes sense that Mid City Beer Garden’s Tuesday dinner special includes $1.50 beef or veggie tacos, plus specials like quesadillas and chimichangas. midcitybeergarden.com

CHOW YUM PHAT

This Perkins Road Overpass spot is known as a destination for Asian street food—and more recently, birria tacos. What started as a fun experiment turned into a weekly staple with folks lining up for a taste every Tuesday. chowyumphat.com

SOULSHINE KITCHEN & BAR

At the comfort food-themed restaurant near LSU, the Tuesday menu includes two to three tacos and a shot of tequila with salt and lime for $10. soulshinebar.com

The Taco Tuesday tradition is alive and thriving at Baton Rouge restaurants

DIGIT

The price of the spe cialty tacos at Blue Corn Modern Mex ican (pictured here) during Taco Tuesdays

Cecilia Cuntz, MD Breast Surgeon

1. AZTECA’S 9414 Florida Blvd. 225-243-2670

Find it on Facebook

2. A HINT OF LIME

locations

it

Facebook

3. CHAMO’S VENEZUELEN FOOD TRUCK 940 O’Neal Lane 225-432-5586

Find it on Facebook

4. LA SALVADOREÑA PUPUSERIA #2 13440 Tiger Bend Road 225-636-3336

Find it on Facebook

5. MY POLLO LOCO 12065 Florida Blvd. 225-910-3630 mypolloloco.com

6. TACOS EL MOSCO 11855 Airline Highway 225-287-3138

it on Facebook

7. TAQUERIA ACAPULCO 14012 Florida Blvd. Find it on Facebook

8. TAQUERIA DON BETO

15110 Airline Highway, Prairieville 225- 402-9435

it on Facebook

9. TAQUERIA LA CONQUISTADORA 14445 Old Hammond Highway 504-263-0843

Before you make the trip, call the food truck or check

for updated hours,

and accepted forms of payment (some trucks are cash only).

Tacos on

WHEELS

THERE’S A SPECIAL kind of excitement that comes when you can smell how good a dish is before you taste it.

When my partner and I rolled up to Azteca’s food truck in the Daily Bread’s parking lot during lunch hour, this is how I knew we were in good hands. The robust, welcoming smell of smoke from sizzling hot tortillas being pressed on a stovetop was enough for me to want every thing on the menu.

Alas, I narrowed it down to a plate of five birria tacos, a Mexican coke in a glass bottle and a cup of street corn (mostly because I was influenced by the viral “Corn Kid” from TikTok).

Every bite into the tender and juicy birria tacos was euphoric. The crispy shredded beef and melty cheese tacos were small, but packed with flavor. So much that I hardly used the grilled onions and pico de gallo on the side. The tacos came with a generous cup of savory consomme, a hearty broth that I plunged every part of my tacos into before each bite.

The cup of corn reminded me of my childhood in Colorado Springs, when “The Corn Man” would push a shopping cart around the neighborhood serving up

corn cobs and containers of butter, grated Parmesan cheese and chili seasoning. It was the highlight of my day when my friend’s mom gave us a few dollars to buy the cheese- and butter-covered corn cobs on a stick.

That enthusiasm rushed back to me all these years later, as I enjoyed this flavorful helping of corn in a cup from the comfort of my car.

Barbacoa and birria tacos from Azteca’s

Don’t forget a side of Azteca’s elote, a cup of creamy, cheesy, buttery street corn

SHOP together

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

Tacos 101

Know your tacos: 8 different types and their origins

NOT ALL TACOS are made the same. Different styles and proteins originate from various regions and unique cooking styles. Around Baton Rouge, you can find traditional street tacos, trendy Birria tacos and everything in between. Here’s a guide.

CYNTHEA CORFAH

AL PASTOR from Puebla, Mexico Al pastor means “shepherd style” in Spanish. This refers to the Lebanese shawarma-like cooking method. Al Pastor tacos style of cooking originated in Lebanon and was brought over to Mexico. Instead of lamb, these tacos consist of pork cut into thin slices that are stacked in a pinecone shape and roasted on a slow-turning vertical rotisserie.

Where to get it: Modesto, Tio Javi’s, Blue Corn Modern Mexican, La Carreta

BIRRIA from Jalisco, Mexico

in Spanish. Tacos de Cabeza are made from the meat of an animal’s head. They are often made using a cow and sometimes a pig. To make tacos de cabeza, the entire cow’s head is slow-roasted until the meat around the skull is fall-off-the-bone tender. This meat is known to be juicy and melt-in-yourmouth delicious because of the high fat content.

225.925.2344

BARBACOA from the Taino people of the Caribbean Barbacoa, the Spanish word for barbecue, is a Mexican dish typically made with cuts of beef, goat or lamb. It is tradi tionally seasoned with dried chilies and spices and slowly cooked until tender over an open fire or fire pit. The slowcooked meat is then served on a tortilla. Where to get it: Blue Corn Modern Mexican, La Carreta

Birria tacos, also known as tacos de birria or quesabirria tacos, include braised meat and cheese inside a pan-fried corn tortilla. Birria tacos were originally made with goat meat, but locally they are often made with beef, melty Oaxacan cheese, cilantro, lime and white onion. A small bowl of consommé (soup made from meat-flavored stock or broth) is served on the side for dipping.

Where to get it: Azteca’s food truck, Birria & Barbacoa de Chivo Los Compadre’s, Chow Yum Phat (on Tuesdays)

TACOS DE CABEZA from the Bajío region in Central Mexico

Cabeza means “head”

Where to get it: The Tacos Place BR

TACOS DE CARNITAS from Michoacán, Mexico

Carnitas means “little meats” in Spanish. Tacos de carnitas are tacos traditionally made with braised pork shoulder flavored with herbs and seasoning. The meat is known for being tender and juicy due to high fat content. They are often served with cilantro, onion, cheese, lime and pico de gallo.

Where to get it: Blue Corn Modern Mexican, La Carreta

CARNE ASADA from Northern Mexico

Carne asada is “grilled

Birria tacos from Chow Yum Phat

Azteca’s food truck

meat” in Spanish. Carne asada tacos are typically made with marinated and grilled skirt steak stuffed into a soft corn tortilla. Locally, the tacos are topped with lime juice, cilantro, diced onions, salsas and guacamole.

Where to get it:

El Paso Mexican Grill, Tio Javi’s, Los Reyes Mexican Grill, La Carreta, The Tacos Place BR

COCHINITA PIBIL from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Cochinita Pibil is a slowroasted pork dish from the Yucatán Peninsula. It is traditionally made with pork slow-cooked for hours while buried underground in a pit. Before being wrapped in a banana leaf, the meat is marinated generously with seasonings and citrus juices like lemon, lime and orange. Cochinita Pibil translates to a “baby pig buried and cooked underground.” The word cochinita means “baby pig” in Spanish. The Mayan word pibil translates to “buried underground” in English.

Where to get it: The Velvet Cactus, Blue Corn Modern Mexican

STREET TACOS from all over Mexico

Street tacos are small, Mexican meat tacos served on soft corn tortillas. They are often topped with onions, cilantro and salsa. Locally, the toppings include classic ingredients like cheese and avocado and out-of-the box additions like mangos and fried chicken skins.

Where to get it:

Caliente, Gov’t Taco, Rock Paper Taco, Superior Grill, Torchy’s Tacos

Taco craft

WHY TACOS?

(A taco) is able to deliver a full meal of flavors and textures in one bite. It’s a lot of different components coming together in a small, handheld package where everything is intentional and there to create a perfect bite.

cheese, blue cheese, feta and different ways to do cheese, mac and cheese, melty cheese on the flattop, queso to elevate a taco with that fat from dairy but in the form of cheese.

WE CAN’T TALK about tacos without the owner of Gov’t Taco Jay Ducote. Since opening the first location of his taco shop at White Star Market on Government Street in 2018, he has been creating his own colorful spin on street tacos, themed around the U.S. government and made with fresh and bold ingredients. After turning his food stand into a standalone restaurant on election day of 2020, Gov’t Taco has become a Mid City staple, voted “Best Tacos” in the annual Best of 225 Awards four years in a row. It serves tacos made with coffee- and chile-braised beef, skirt steak, smoked chicken thighs and Nashville hot chicken skins, and even pimento mac and cheese. Here’s what you need to know about making the perfect taco, straight from the taco expert himself.

WHAT MAKES A PERFECT TACO?

Contrast in textures and flavors. A perfect taco is going to have every component of flavor in one bite. Some sort of acid, a fat component, some crunch, some chew, some creaminess or mushiness and heat. It doesn’t have to have a traditional protein—just something to give it some body.

WHAT’S YOUR MUSTHAVE INGREDIENT?

I’m a cheese guy. I love explor ing different cheeses, like going beyond just a shredded cheese. I like playing around with goat

WHAT’S ONE THING EVERY TACO NEEDS TO HAVE?

You probably need to have some sort of sauce component for flavor and texture. Whether it’s salsa, cream-based sauce, sour cream or hot sauce, tacos with no sauce may be lacking.

WHAT’S ONE WAY TO UPGRADE A BASIC TACO?

Look at what is missing. If it’s lacking textural contrast, add a crunchy element (nuts, seeds, fried bits, switching it to a crunchy shell). I look for a balance of salt and fat and acid and heat and make sure all of that is getting delivered to ensure it’s a fully rounded dish.

Unpacking Gov’t Taco’s inventive taco creations, inspired by U.S. government—and flavors

AS TOLD TO CYNTHEA CORFAH

LEADERSHIP

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The Leadership Academy allowed me to grow- both personally and professionally- while connecting with a wide array of peers in the Greater Baton Rouge area. Cultivating relationships with these folks from such diverse backgrounds and industries proved to have immense value throughout the program. Highly recommend!”

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Not your

Untraditional tacos full of Baton Rouge flavors to try around town TIA’S TACOS

JUST AS THERE’S always a new restaurant, food truck or dish to explore around Baton Rouge, the same goes for the types of tacos to taste. Local restaurants serve personalityfilled tacos with stand-out ingredients like red beans and rice, mangos and even waffles. Next time you’re feeling adventurous, order one of these out-of-the-ordinary tacos.

CYNTHEA CORFAH

AHI TUNA FROM THE VELVET CACTUS

Light and fresh, this taco comes with seared tuna, avocados, red onions, queso fresco, Creole slaw and raspberrychipotle sauce. The pickled red onions and Creole slaw are served chilled. thevelvetcactus.com

ANTHONY BOUDIN: PARTS UNKNOWN FROM GOV’T TACO

This taco is a tasty homage to Louisiana cuisine and the late chef Anthony Bourdain. It is made with Best Stop pepper jack boudin, red beans and rice purée, Slap Ya Mama aioli, cornbread crumbles and green onions. (Mmmm, doesn’t that make you hungry just reading it?) govttaco.com

BRUSHFIRE FROM TORCHY’S

Transport yourself to the islands with this spicy and sweet taco. It is made with Jamaican jerk chicken, grilled jalapeños, mango, sour cream and cilantro with diablo sauce on a flour tortilla. torchystacos.com

CLUCKS & BALANCES FROM GOV’T TACO

Who would have thought mac and cheese could be a taco ingredient? Gov’t Taco did. This creation is made with many Southern favorites like smoked chicken thigh, pimento mac and cheese, Nashville hot chicken skins and white barbecue sauce. govttaco.com

THE DYNAMITE FROM ROCK PAPER TACO

Chicken and waffles and a taco in the same dish? That’s what food lovers dream of. It’s a tasty taco made with fried chicken, a waffle tortilla, a bacon strip, maple butter and Steen’s syrup. (It’s OK if you’re drooling now.) rockpapertaco.com

THE SNAZZ FROM ROCK PAPER TACO

Bold people need bold flavors. The Snazz is a treat for your palate, especially if you like spice and tartness. It comes with pickled cauliflower, red cabbage, fried jalapeños, queso fresco, lime creme and cilantro. rockpapertaco.com

VEGAN BREAKFAST TACOS FROM MJ’S CAFE

There are unique taco options for vegans, too. MJ’s Cafe serves multiple breakfast tacos, such as the Peace, Love & Hominy, made with (vegan or dairy) shredded cheese, (vegan or dairy) scrambled eggs, black beans, hominy and pickled jalapeños. There’s also the MJ’s Sausage, made with shredded cheese, scrambled eggs and vegan sausage. mjscafebr.com

ZUCCHINI MACHA FROM MODESTO

Try the zucchini macha taco, another meat-free option. It is made with marinated and grilled zucchini, peanut salsa macha, cilantro and onion. Don’t let the vegetables fool you—it’s a filling bite. eatmodesto.com

DIGIT

Breakfast

is served

More breakfast tacos

MASON’S GRILL

At this venerable brunch spot, three flour tortillas are filled with scrambled eggs and chorizo, homemade breakfast sausage and jalapeños. A topping of shredded cheddar cheese and avocado finishes things off. masonsgrill.com

SUPERIOR GRILL

Breakfast tacos include scrambled eggs and a choice of chorizo, ham, beef, chicken, bacon, brisket or potato, while the frittata tacos feature tortillas filled with frittata, pico de gallo, queso fresco and a choice of protein. batonrouge.superiorgrill.com

GROWING UP IN Houston, entrepreneur Will Edwards was accustomed to breakfast tacos and kolaches, items the LSU alumnus brought to the Capital Region with his fast-growing concept, Kolache Kitchen. Nearly 10 years later, the restaurant has six locations—three in Baton Rouge, two in New Orleans and one in Key West.

“We opened with breakfast tacos and kolaches, and to this day, the breakfast tacos remain just as popular as kolaches at every location,” Edwards says. “They’re probably 25% to 30% of our sales.”

Simple and portable, Kolache Kitchen’s madeto-order breakfast tacos include scrambled eggs combined with cheese and options like bacon, sausage, chorizo, potatoes, broccoli or spinach.

UNO DOS TACOS

At this Denham Springs and Baton Rouge concept, breakfast tacos are served with bacon, chorizo, sausage or brisket on tortillas made with a combination of cornmeal and flour. myunodostacos.com

TORCHY’S TACOS

The Austin-born chain, which started as a food truck, includes a large breakfast taco menu featuring options like the Migas, combining eggs, cheese, green chiles, corn tortilla strips and avocado; and the Ranch Hand, in which eggs and cheese meet marinated brisket. torchystacos.com

The ingredients are folded into a flour tortilla and rolled in aluminum foil. The extant warmth helps the soft flour tortilla adhere. Each is accompanied by a container of the restaurant’s house-made red salsa for dipping. The restaurant’s success with breakfast tacos eventually led it to serve street tacos for lunch.

“(The breakfast tacos) just really took off,” Edwards says. “They were a fast, affordable breakfast alternative to fast food or donuts.”

Edwards’ timing was right. Over the last decade, breakfast tacos (and breakfast burritos) have grown in popularity—so much that diners see them as commonplace as benedicts and omelets. thekolachekitchen.com

MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

Kolache Kitchen’s madeto-order breakfast tacos

Taco

at

Within the confines of taco night are infinite styles and

from old-school boxed crispy tacos stuffed with ground beef to authentic street tacos made with a double layer of warmed corn tortillas. Local stores and vendors offer plenty of options to help you keep things interesting.

MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON

1. FRESH ONION AND CILANTRO

While proteins may anchor a taco, it’s ingredients like chopped onion and cilantro that give the dish its finish, texture and personality. Find them at local grocers.

2. PEPPERS

Adding a spicy touch, peppers offer a punchy counterpoint to grilled or braised meats. Find them at Latin American markets.

3. SALSA PICANTE BY VALENTINA

This is one brand of spicy red salsa that’s delectable on homemade tacos, thin in consistency and bracing in flavor. Find it at Latin American markets.

4. CORN TORTILLAS BY ¡HOLA NOLA!

This Geismar-based line of fresh flour and corn tortillas includes a street taco-sized option with texture and fla vor beyond reproach. Find it at local grocery stores.

5. QUESO FRESCO

This mild cheese is sold in wheels or wedges and is meant to be crumbled over tacos. Its fine texture and semi-sweet flavor give it a refreshing finish to tacos that’s a nice change from Americanized grated cheddar. Find it at local supermarkets.

6. TACO SEASONING

BY ¡HOLA NOLA!

Season your protein of choice with a filler-free, finely ground amalgam of paprika, salt, chili peppers, dehydrated onion, cumin, dehydrated garlic and oregano. Find it at local grocery stores.

7. CREMA

Think sour cream, but thinner and milder. Pleasing crema brings a hint of tang, offsetting spicy peppers and seasonings. Find it at Latin American markets.

Eat your VEGGIES

Meat doesn’t have to be the star of the show local restaurants load vegetarian tacos with flavor

LOOKING FOR AN alternative to the expected meat, cheese and salsa taco? Why not try the vegetarian side of the menu?

Baton Rouge restaurants are serving up meatless options crafted with uniquely prepared vegetables, spices and salsas. Here’s a few spots to try veggie-forward tacos.

MEG RYAN

BLUE CORN MODERN MEXICAN

In this industrial space, contemporary style meets traditional techniques. Executive Chef Carlos Salazar’s taco menu includes the Rajas Taco, made with sautéed poblano peppers, onions, corn, queso fresco and Mexican cream. Or, get fun(gi) with the Mushrooms Taco, made with sautéed mushrooms, onions, bell pepper and garlic topped with queso fresco. bluecornrestaurant.com

ROCK PAPER TACO

This taqueria is anything but traditional. The diverse menu creates mouthwatering flavor combinations and doesn’t disappoint its vegetarian patrons. The Peace taco includes portobello mushrooms prepared two ways—fried and grilled. It’s dressed with red cabbage, fried jalapeños, sliced avocado and cilantro. Don’t forget to take a look at the restaurant’s cocktail menu. rockpapertaco.com

MESTIZO LOUISIANA MÉXICAN CUISINE

Known for its healthy menu options, head to Mestizo for its vegetarian taco plate, with one fried avocado taco, one sautéed portobello mushroom and one roasted carrot with a side of tomatillo sauce. They’re each dressed with slaw, pico and cotija cheese on your choice of corn, wheat, flour tortillas or lettuce wraps. mestizorestaurant.com

GOV’T TACO

Gov’t Taco’s vegetarian tacos are just as tongue-incheek and interesting as the rest of the menu. The Vegetation Proclamation combines Louisiana and Mexican flavors with fried red potatoes, red beans and rice purée, grilled onions, cotija cheese and pickled jalapeños. Or try the Magna Carrot, built with cane-glazed carrots, black bean purée, goat cheese, chimichurri and pepitas. govttaco.com

JOVI’S TACOS

Served on house-made tortillas, the vegetarian ta cos (pictured at right) at Jovi’s span the gamut from out-of-the-box to traditional. The Camote Taco pairs roasted sweet potatoes with black beans, pico and chipotle sauce. The Nopales Taco showcases prickly pear with pico and queso fresco. jovistacos.com

MODESTO TACO TEQUILA WHISKEY

This indoor-outdoor spot dresses its house-made corn tortillas with classic Mexican ingredients. Try the Fried Avocado, made with buttermilk-battered avo, black bean purée, shaved cabbage, pico and chile verde. eatmodesto.com

Clock work

Why men’s watches are a worthy investment for the moment— as holiday season gifts and beyond

TIME IS MONEY. At least that’s how the watch market has increasingly looked since the pandemic. Demand has skyrocketed nationally for vintage and new timepieces alike, according to outlets like GQ and Business Insider—and it’s no different in Baton Rouge, according to Scott Berg, president and owner of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry.

Shifting dress codes and a rapidly changing economy have helped increase interest in collecting watches. Watches can be an asset for an investment portfolio—or for a versatile wardrobe.

If you’re shopping for a watch this holiday season, think about what activities you or the recipient will be doing while wearing the watch, Berg suggests. Then, consider how the material feels on your wrist.

“Traditional materials, such as gold and stainless steel, make up the bulk of the watch market, but brands like Tudor are making great watches in bronze, silver and titanium,” Berg says.

Stainless steel and titanium watches are durable and rustproof. Gold is best suited for formal attire because of its vulnerability to scratches and tarnishing, he adds.

Wristwatches are not just meaningful gifts; they are timeless accessories beautifully crafted with durable metals and precious gems. They are meticulous works of art—that can be passed down for many years. lmfj.com

BROOKE SMITH

Patek Philippe Calatrava, $55,590. If you’re looking to truly invest in a fine timepiece, consider this pilot watch. It boasts intricate mechanics and classic Swiss features. It has a dual time zone mechanism indicating local and home time.

Rolex Sky-Dweller, $15,200. For a polished look just as suited for the office and the beach, try this 42 mm oyster steel and white gold time piece. It has dual time zones and a 72-hour power reserve.

TAG Heuer Formula 1 This watch has a sexy technological appeal and premium functionality. It’s perfect for a seaside vacation or outdoor activities. Not only does the 43 mm watch have signature asphalt design dial and blood orange accents, but it glows in the dark. It can also go under 660 feet of water.

Candid camera

FOR DANAH CLIPA, 30, every day is an @DanahBananaa day. And for her TikTok followers (1.1 million and counting), it’s a phrase they’ve come to use when they want to treat themselves.

“I’ve gotten tagged in so many videos of people saying, ‘I’m having a Danah Banana happy day’ and doing all the things that make them happy,” she says. “It’s probably one of the best feelings ever.”

At the same time, she’s garnered praise for being honest about her struggles with mental health.

Clipa became a full-time content creator a little over four years ago, first starting with self-taught makeup tutorials on YouTube. As she expanded

What’s the best part of being a content creator?

I really like the flexibility, but I also really like being a very expressive person. With social media, you can kind of just express yourself however you want. You’re pretty much your own boss, and I thoroughly enjoy that.

And the most challenging?

A thing that was hard at first was the isolation because, in Louisiana, there are not a lot of full-time content creators. Plus, you can be the most positive person on the internet, and there’s still going to be some people that just don’t like you.

How did you come up with your ‘happy day’ content?

I was constantly getting asked, ‘What do you do when you’re having a bad day?’ I had just never made a video on it. So I was like, ‘Honestly, I do this.’ And I’ll just do only things that make me happy on that day. It got a really good response.

Why was it important for you to have an honest conversation about mental health with your followers?

I’m pretty sure everyone around my age can empathize that it wasn’t easy to speak about mental health. There still is a massive stigma around mental health and medication. The very first video I ever did about it didn’t get a whole lot of views, but in comparison to the views, I received so many comments of people just saying, ‘Thank you so much for speaking on this, you made me feel so much less alone.’ It might make me uncomfortable for a minute because it is hard to speak about sometimes, but just knowing that even if I helped one person feel less alone, that is an impact.

This Q&A was edited for clarity and brevity.

into other platforms, the Lake Charles native who has lived in Baton Rouge for over six years, saw her TikTok follower count take off on during the height of the pandemic.

Today, Clipa creates slice-of-life videos showing cocktail and coffee creations, beauty tips and shopping hauls. Baton Rouge eateries and locales often make an appearance, including a collaboration with Companion Animal Alliance showcasing pets up for adoption or fostering.

Clipa sat down with 225 to share the ups and downs of content creation and why she feels it’s important to be transparent with her followers.

AS TOLD TO MEG RYAN

COLLIN RICHIE

Danah Clipa’s TikToks have garnered millions of views with honesty, fun—and cute pets

Hallelujah, hallelujah

A classic, modernized: The new Jubans proves as tried-and-true as it always was

David

Henry

Jordan

Tracy

REVIEW

Jubans Restaurant

BY BENJAMIN LEGER // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

About 225’s food critic: Benjamin Leger previously served as managing editor for 225 and was the editor of its Taste section from 2012 to 2021, editing, writing and steering the direction of its food coverage in print and online. He is passionate about all things food and food journalism, and has written about the greater Baton Rouge area’s cuisine and culture for nearly two decades.

jubans.com

3739 Perkins Road

Lunch and dinner:

Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Brunch: Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

WHILE I WAS never a regular of Jubans Restaurant in its heyday, I had dined in its classy interiors enough to know it was the fine dining estab lishment of Baton Rouge. The kind of place where you bring an important business client, have a celebratory din ner or go to see and be seen among the Capital City’s movers and shakers. It was also known for classic Southern dishes, such as its signature Hallelujah Crab, and tried-and-true entrees a restaurant industry friend once lovingly joked were “a piece of fish topped with some stuff and finished with some stuff.”

When Jubans closed its doors during the pandemic, there was worry its days might be over. But that two-year break offered the Juban family an opportu nity to bring in some new ideas from Chef-restaurateur Peter Sclafani—now operating partner—and Chef Chris Motto, formerly of Mansurs on the Boulevard and Hell’s Kitchen fame.

That downtime also allowed a reboot of the restaurant’s look, both inside and out.

My group made reservations for a Wednesday night in hopes of avoiding a late-week crowd. But the two limos parked out front were the first sign it wouldn’t be a quiet night. Inside, the front dining room was bustling with every table occupied. The large and brightly decorated atrium was abuzz with groups of friends crammed around the bar.

Luckily, we were seated right away at a table by the stately fireplace in the newly outfitted atrium, giving us a full view of all the activity.

Our servers quickly brought out

THE BASICS: Much has changed in the fine dining world since Jubans first opened 40 years ago. So when the renovated and rebranded restaurant made its modern debut this spring, diners were pleased to find a space and menu that’s just as nostalgic as it is forward-thinking. A stunning design concocted by X Design and DNA Workshop is outfitted with brass and stone finishes and custom wallpaper and artwork, with nods to Baton Rouge culture and style throughout. Since its April reopening, it’s quickly reclaimed its reputation as a local icon.

WHAT’S A MUST: Chef Chris Motto—formerly the longtime chef at Mansurs on the Boulevard and a fan favorite on Hell’s Kitchen—leads the kitchen, putting his own spin on the Jubans classics. The Hallelujah Crab is famous enough locally that the restaurant named one of its bar rooms after it. For a lighter take on this dish, try the Crab Toast, which showcases fried, crunchy soft shell crab on warm French bread. The Louisiana Two Birds is a true standout, with chicken-fried quail breast and a boudin-stuffed quail half atop salty and charred haricots verts and a savory cane syrup gastrique.

warm, crusty bread and butter while we browsed the drink menu’s nice selection of wines, signature cocktails and classics.

Drinks ordered, we turned our attention to the food, curious what Chef Motto had in store. For appetizers, we selected the Charred Corn Arancini and Crab Toast.

The Arancini came out first, featuring two plump and breaded balls of creamy corn and rice surrounded by sliced cherry tomatoes, a distinctive herb sauce and a slather of pureed smoked tomato sauce.

The arancini’s stuffing was tender but could have used more seasoning, while the persillade-style herb sauce was bright with flavors of parsley and garlic.

In ordering the Crab Toast, I suspected it would give us just a sampling of the Hallelujah Crab’s glory without the intimidation of eating a giant soft-shell crab, which can be offputting for some palates.

I was thankfully proven correct: Small and manageable pieces of fried soft shell crab sat atop toasted French bread slices. The menu mentioned sev eral toppings, such as meunière and crab butter, but if they were present, they were lost under a pile of spring

greens and a slight drizzle of warm bacon vinaigrette. The crunchy crab itself tasted wonderful, though.

For entrees, my partner and I wanted to taste two things Jubans does best: fine seafood and game.

We went with the Ora King Salmon and the Louisiana Two Birds.

The salmon was imported from New Zealand and touted as the “Wagyu of the Sea.” Nicely portioned, it sat on a bed of sauteed spinach and a small mound of ratatouille. The menu also mentioned a “salmon cracklin,” which I was excited about, but I think that just referred to the crispy and salty salmon skin.

The fish itself was flaky and perfectly cooked, but did I feel like I was eating top-of-the-line, wagyulevel salmon? Not particularly.

The highlight of this dish was the ratatouille of deeply roasted and thinly sliced veggies, while the sauteed spinach was rather bland and watery.

In contrast to the salmon, the Louisiana Two Birds was so tasty that my partner and I nearly fought over every piece. A chicken-fried quail breast and a boudin-stuffed quail half sat atop salty and charred haricots verts and a savory cane syrup gas trique. The fried quail breast was so

NEW EXHIBITION OCTOBER 18, 2022

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

(Imageslefttoright)

Vice President Richard Nixon presented Queen Dawn Hébert, daughter of Congressman F. Edward Hébert, at the 1953 ball. Former Louisiana Governor James A. Noe reigned as king. Gift of Dawn Hébert; Washington Mardi Gras queen’s dress, 1950, worn by Margie Gauthier. Gift of Mrs. Louis J. Brown Jr.

Meet the man in the kitchen: Chef Chris Motto built his culinary reputation as the longtime chef at Mansurs on the Boulevard and as a strong contender on Hell’s Kitchen. Now, he helms the kitchen at Jubans.

A

juicy and down-home crunchy, and the boudin-stuffed quail so flavorful with its crispy skin, that we were left wowed.

When it came to dessert, we decided to go for something different with the Sweet Potato Financier.

The small wedge of buttery cake was flecked with sweet potato and bits of Granny Smith apple and practically soaked in sugar, which made the bour bon caramel sauce feel like overkill. But the sweet potato chips on top and a scoop of vanilla ice cream helped cut through the cloying sweetness.

Throughout dinner, service was attentive and personable, and we saw similar interactions unfold at nearby tables of regulars. Despite a few misses, we were impressed by the flavors we encountered. The chef’s goal of waking up some classics with a contemporary twist was apparent, and the Jubans brand is clearly in good hands.

The restaurant’s new layout is versatile, offering spaces for romantic dinners, happy hour crowds and larger groups.

Throughout the night, we were suspiciously eyeing the entrance to the Tigre Room—a swanky, library-like lounge hidden from the atrium by a sliding wall. I was dying to check it out, but a security guard denied access that evening to all but a few welldressed visitors.

We assumed there was someone important back there, remembering the limos out front. And sure enough, as our meal ended, we watched a small troupe of suits exit for the front door, flanking Gov. John Bel Edwards in the center.

Indeed, Jubans is back—and as toptier as ever.

Toasting to a

take:

Crab Toast showcases the restaurant’s fried Hallelujah Crab

bread.

ANATOMY OF A DISH

Pie eyed

Unlocking the secrets of Elsie’s signature Fall Harvest Pie

WHEN YOU THINK of desserts with fall flavors, it’s hard not to picture pies. And when you think of pies in Baton Rouge, Elsie’s Plate and Pie on Government Street inevitably springs to mind.

Elsie’s churns out hundreds of pies a week, and that’s only counting the specialty ones. The Mid City restaurant has a per manent menu of both sweet and savory pies (think: everything from apple pies to Natchitoches meat pies), as well.

Owner and chef Paul Dupré says the restaurant made five times its usual amount of spe cialty pies during Thanksgiving week of 2021, when it pumped out over 1,000 pastries. You can beat the rush by ordering ahead to ensure delicious pies for your holiday spread, or stop in to get a good meal and try whatever seasonal flavors are available in the case.

Though the seasonal pie lineup was not yet confirmed when we interviewed Dupré in September, he promises pie lovers can expect the return of the Fall Harvest Pie, which made its debut last year. The pie was the brainchild of both Dupré and Elsie’s pastry chef Brant Palazzo.

A crust you can trust The Fall Harvest Pie starts with a traditional pastry crust. Dupré and team achieve the flaky base by combining baking staples like flour, water and butter. The crust is carved to fit perfectly inside the pie tin with rounded, scalloped edges supporting all that gooey fruit filling.

More is more

When it came to creating a fruity filling for the Fall Harvest Pie, Dupré and Palazzo decided to add a few apple varieties. Having more than one apple gives the pie “a more complex and more well-rounded flavor,” Dupré says. Throughout the season, the selection of apples may change, but Dupré promises the picks will always consist of the most flavorful fruit he can find.

A perfect pear

If you thought multiple apples weren’t enough, Dupré and Palazzo added another fall fruit to the lineup: pear. This underrated fruit turns out to be a pretty ideal addition to the innards of the pie. Much like the apples, the pear is combined with spices to achieve an autumnal flavor. The fruit comes alive with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and a few sprinkles of other spices Dupré keeps under wraps.

“Usually, we just kind of go week to week and just talk about pies and food until we get excited to start making stuff,” Dupré explains. “(For the Fall Harvest Pie), we talked about what we love in those typical fall flavors, all the warm spices and that kind of stuff.”

The result: an elevated version of an apple streusel pie, with some secret spices, additional apples, pears and rum-soaked raisins. It is served hot and pairs well with a hearty scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Here’s a sneak peek at what lies inside the shell of this spiced dessert ahead of its triumphant comeback during the primetime pie season. elsiespies.com

To top it all off

Of course, no pie is complete without a nice little topping to tuck in all the goodness inside. The Fall Harvest Pie is capped off with a crumbly, walnut streusel. Elsie’s adds walnuts to its oatmeal-based streusel topping, which includes oatmeal, brown sugar and melted butter. It is crumbled over the pie to make a crisp, crunchy outer layer.

Shriveled sidekicks

Dried grapes take an alcoholic soak in a dark rum before making their way into this pie. After their booze-filled bath, they’re sprinkled throughout the other fruity fillings. These raisins may not be the star of the show, but the tiny and mighty morsels give this pie an extra kick. Dupré says any dark rum will do, but he prefers Bumbu Rum, which is typically stocked at the restaurant for easy access.

Pie day

BY TRACEY KOCH PHOTOS BY AMY SHUTT

A guide to holiday pies at home, for sweet and savory tastes worthy of a family gathering to remember

THANKSGIVING IS THE time for us to get together with extended family and friends of all genera tions, to gather around the table, share in a meal and give thanks. Some of my favorite memories of Thanksgiving happen well before the actual meal and during the meal prep. Like so many of us, several dishes (pies in particular) come from recipes that have been passed down in my family for generations. I love looking at all of the old, handwritten recipes my mother has in her recipe box, which she’s had

since 1965. We make the same recipes her mother and grandmother had always made for Thanksgiving. Over the years, we have also created some newer, more updated recipes that now are as much a part of our Thanksgiving table as the old ones. This month I wanted to share some of my family’s favorite holiday pies—and online, you’ll find some family favorites from some of the 225 staff as well. We hope some of our favorites will become yours. From our families to yours, happy Thanksgiving!

On the menu

• Nana’s Basic Pie Dough

• Maggie’s Dark Chocolate Pie

• Fresh Pumpkin Pie

• Turkey Pot Pie

Recipes by Tracey Koch, Olga

“Nana” Riegel and Maggie Koch

Nana’s Basic Pie Dough

In my recipe column for 225, I’ve always stressed how store-bought pie dough is a wonderful product to use in place of scratch dough—and I stand by that statement. As much as I enjoy cooking, I like to take a shortcut whenever I can, especially when the end result is as delicious as something from-scratch. However, this year, with the holidays approaching, I decided to try my hand at mastering my mother’s from-scratch pie crust. When I was little, I remember hanging out in the kitchen while my mother would make pie crust. She would always give me the extra dough to play with. I loved rolling it out with my own rolling pin and cutting it into shapes. We’d sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the cut-outs and bake my own little creations. With this happy memory fresh in my mind, I was delighted to find that her recipe is surprisingly easy. The crust is tender and delicious, with a nice buttery flavor. To keep extra dough on hand for a later use, this recipe can easily be doubled. Portion out the leftover dough and place it in the fridge for up to four days, or the freezer in a freezer bag for up to two months.

Maggie’s Dark Chocolate Pie

My husband’s grandmother from Bay City, Texas, was known for her chocolate pies. She always made them for him and his siblings growing up, and they were the family’s favorite holiday dessert. When our kids were younger, we spent many Thanksgivings in Texas with my husband’s family. Those traditional chocolate pies quickly became my children’s favorite, as well. Once our daughter Maggie got older, she began experimenting with her own version of a chocolate pie. She has perfected her own version of a deep, dark chocolate pie, and it is no surprise her dark chocolate pie has become a new family favorite. The secret to her decadent, creamy dark chocolate pie is a blend of goodquality chocolates. She starts using Hershey’s Cocoa Special Dark Powder and then adds in both semisweet and 60% dark chocolate bars. The result is a rich chocolate pie—the perfect chocolate addition to any dessert table.

Servings: Yields 1 (9-inch) pie

1 (9-inch) pie crust

¼ teaspoon cornstarch

2 tablespoons Hershey’s Cocoa Special Dark Powder

1 ½ cup sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups whole milk

4 egg yolks beaten

8 ounces semisweet chocolate

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

Servings: Yields 2 (9-inch) pie crusts

2 ½ cups all-purpose unbleached flour

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons cold butter

½ cup cold vegetable shortening

½ cup ice water

1. Pour the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add in the salt, and mix until well blended.

2. Slice the cold butter and shortening into little pieces. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. Slowly add the ice water into the mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it all begins to come together. Gently press the dough together to form a ball. Cut the dough ball in half to form 2 smaller pieces.

4. Carefully press each piece into a disk. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and place in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling it out.

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1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the pie crust and press it into a 9-inch pie dish. Crimp the edges and place weights into the bottom of the crust to prevent it from bubbling up or sliding down the edges of the dish as it bakes.

2. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until it is a light golden brown and completely baked. Remove from the oven. Use a fork to prick the bottom of the crust to allow steam to escape while the crust cools. This will prevent the crust from becoming soggy. Set the pie crust aside to cool completely before filling.

3. In a heavy medium saucepan, blend together the cornstarch, cocoa powder, sugar and salt until well blended.

4. Turn the heat to medium and whisk in the milk and egg yolks. Use a rubber spatula to get everything off of the bottom and sides of the pot. Continue whisking over medium heat for several minutes until the mixture is smooth, thick and is just coming to a boil.

5. Immediately turn off the heat and continue whisking to prevent the eggs from scrambling. As you are mixing, add in the semisweet and bittersweet chocolate, butter and vanilla.

6. Mix until all is smooth and well blended. Pour the chocolate pie filling into the baked pie crust.

7. Place plastic wrap, touching the chocolate filling, to prevent a film from forming. Place the pie into the refrigerator for several hours over night to chill completely. Top with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Ring in the Christmas season with a 19th century Louisiana celebration. Musical groups, demonstrating artisans, storytellers, and costumed re-enactors will be present to set the holiday mood. The event will conclude with a bonfire and a very special guest.

Fresh Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie is the cornerstone of the Thanksgiving dessert table. More than 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed during Thanksgiving each year, according to news reports, and Americans buy nearly 483,000 pounds of pumpkin for the holiday.

I love a good shortcut, so in the past I always went for the all-natural canned pumpkin puree when making pie—and it works deliciously. When developing this year’s recipe, though, I decided to challenge myself to go all out and try my hand at using a fresh, roasted baking pumpkin.

It took a little longer than using canned pumpkin, but the result was totally worth it. Roasting the fresh pumpkin helps to bring out the natural sugars and gives the pie a more earthy flavor. Because the roasting process also takes out a little of the extra moisture, I found that adding some cream into the pumpkin mixture keeps the texture moist and creamy. And the spices, along with the addition of a little black pepper as the pumpkin roasts, elevate this traditional dessert to the next level.

Servings: Yields 1 (9-inch) pumpkin pie

1 medium or 2 small baking pumpkins (to yield 2 cups pumpkin puree)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 (9-inch) pie crust

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut the tops off the pumpkins. Remove the seeds and scrape out the strings.

3. Cut the hollowed-out pumpkin in half. Rub the inside flesh with the vegetable oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and place the pumpkin pieces onto the lined baking sheet, skin side up.

4. Roast in the preheated oven for an hour or until the pumpkin is fork tender. Remove and allow it to cool completely. The pumpkin can be roasted the day before and stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for three to four days.

5. Roll out 1 disk of your pie dough to measure 12 inches in diameter. Press the dough into a 9-inch pie dish, crimping the edges.

6. Prebake the pie dough in the 350-degree oven for 6 to 7 minutes. Re move the crust from the oven. Prick the

½ teaspoon pumpkin spice

¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg

1 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon cornstarch

3 eggs

¾ cups heavy cream

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

bottom to allow steam to escape. This prevents the dough from becoming soggy once it is filled and baked.

7. Use a spoon to scoop the roasted pumpkin insides into a mixing bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the pumpkin until it is completely smooth.

8. Add in the cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin spice and nutmeg. Stir until well combined and set it aside.

9. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the brown sugar and corn starch until well combined. Add in the eggs, beating until well incorporated. Carefully whisk in the cream, milk and vanilla until blended. Pour this mixture into the spiced pumpkin puree and mix until all incorporated.

10. Carefully pour the pumpkin filling into the prebaked pie crust. Bake the pie in a 350-degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Note that the center of the pie may wobble even though the pie is set. Allow to cool before serving.

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey pot pie is one of my favorite comfort meals. It’s full of flavor and easy to make, and is also a great way to repurpose any leftover turkey after Thanksgiving. This recipe makes one (9-inch) pie, but I also like making the pot pies in smaller pie pans for single or two-person servings. (Simply divide the dough into smaller portions to fit the correct size of the pie pans, and then freeze to keep on hand for a quick dinner on a busy night.) This pot pie recipe works year-round using a roasted chicken in place of turkey, too.

Servings: 6

1. Heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Add in the flour. Cook the roux over medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until it becomes golden brown in color.

2. Add in the celery, carrots, onions, salt, pepper and Herbs de Provence. Continue sauteing for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are becoming soft.

3. Slowly pour in the broth and stir until smooth. Continue cooking and stirring un til the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Fold in the 3 cups of turkey and remove it for the heat. Allow the mix ture to cool before filling the pie crust.

4. While the filling cools, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle a little flour on

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons flour

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped carrots

1 3 cup chopped onions

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon Herbs de Provence

3 cups turkey or chicken broth

3 cups cooked turkey

2 (9-inch) pie crusts

a work surface and roll half of the pie dough to fit in the bottom of a 9-inch pie plate. Press the dough into the pie plate, crimping the edges to help secure the crust. Prebake the crust for 5 to 6 minutes.

5. Remove it from the oven. Pour the fill ing into the prebaked crust. Place the sec ond half of the pie dough on the floured surface. Roll it out to 10 inches in diameter and lay it over the top of the filling. Crimp the edges of the top layer to seal the pie. Use a knife to cut a few slits in the top of the dough to help it vent as it bakes.

6. Bake the turkey pot pie for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it turns a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.

HONEST Talk with Your Child

Did you know approximately 1 in 3 high schoolers say they use some kind of tobacco product and 1 in 5 report they vape

TIPS FOR AN HONEST TALK

HHEAR YOUR CHILD

Let them lead the conversation and talk about what interests them the most.

Listen without interrupting to ensure they feel prioritized and heard.

OPEN DIALOGUE AND OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS ARE KEY

Encourage your child to tell you how they feel about what you’re discussing and try to avoid yes/no questions.

NEVER DISMISS YOUR CHILD’S FEELINGS

Empathize with the potential pressures they might be experiencing from their peers or environment

ENSURE YOU REGULATE YOUR OWN EMOTIONS

Take a breath and remember you want to continue the discussion

SHARE REASONS TO NOT USE TOBACCO PRODUCTS

Highlight the dangers you’ve learned and ask what they’ve heard about and why it’s harmful and addictive

TRUST AND RESPECT THEIR PERSPECTIVE

Avoid lecturing them and make every conversation a win-win experience

Children ages 13+ who want to join the movement to END tobacco use and vaping can find more information at tobaccoendgame.org.

Learn more at heart.org/tobacco

Children ages 13+ who are ready to quit vaping can receive free support by texting HEART to 88709

Locally published

CULTURE

BY CYNTHEA CORFAH // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE

How LSU Press preserves and showcases local history and culture for readers and authors worldwide through its award-winning books

LSU HAS LEFT its global footprint on literature.

The flagship university has been fea tured in many books and is the alma mater of notable authors like political consultant James Carville; the first African-American Louisiana State Poet Laureate Pinkie Gordon Lane; and economist Freddie Ray Marshall.

You may have heard of some of the authors who were LSU Tigers, but did you know LSU is the only university press to publish four Pulitzer Prizewinning books in fiction and poetry?

LSU Press publishes a mix of scholarly and creative books. The on-campus, nonprofit university book publisher was originally founded in 1935 to publish books by faculty. Now, it publishes around 70 books a year for scholars and readers alike.

“We preserve history,” says LSU Press director Alisa Plant. “We preserve episodes of history that may have otherwise been forgotten.”

Genres include Southern history, Southern literary studies, Louisiana history and culture, environmental studies, Southern foodways, media studies, landscape architecture, fan studies and poetry.

And those Pulitzers—claimed by Confederacy of Dunces, a 1981 novel by John Kennedy Toole; The Flying Change, a 1986 poetry book by Henry Taylor; Alive Together: New and Selected Poems, a 1997 poetry book by Lisel Mueller; and Late Wife, a book of poetry by Claudia Emerson that won in 2006—have helped LSU build a global brand.

“We have authors and readers

around the world,” Plant says. “We are essentially brand ambassadors for the university in a very positive way.”

Other works the press has published include Jay Ducote’s Louisiana Outdoor Cooking by Jay Ducote with Cynthia LeJeune Nobles; ABCs of LSU, a children’s book about LSU by Linda Colquitt Taylor; Intersectional Tech: Black Users in Digital Gaming by Kishonna Gray; and Breaking Barriers: A View from the Bench by Judge Freddie Pitcher Jr.

Before getting published by LSU Press, books go through a thorough selection process.

After a book proposal is submitted, editors review and determine if they want to request a manuscript. Once they receive a manuscript, it moves on to being peer reviewed by experts

in the field. If the manuscript makes it past the review, it is sent to its press committee of LSU faculty for approval. If the book is approved at all stages, it gets published.

But LSU Press does more than publish books. It also works closely with authors to market their books at in-person and virtual spaces. The organization livestreams virtual author events on Facebook twice weekly on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. These virtual events allow readers to learn more about its published books, interact with authors and learn about an author’s backstory.

“We’re branching out into new fields,” Plant says. “We want to publish books for everyone. We want to be the press for Louisianians—and beyond.” lsupress.org

LSU Press holds a marketing meeting earlier this year, led by director Alisa Plant.

Average number of titles LSU Press adds to its library of newly published books each year.

DIGIT

NOV. 3

Kiddos ages 5 and under are encouraged to come by the LSU Museum of Art with their caretakers to enjoy an art lesson on Toddler Thursday. This month’s art lesson will teach children all about elements of design. Each participant will make an abstract leaf art creation to take home. lsumoa.org

NOV. 4-6 Get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping with the Holiday Arts & Crafts Market at the Market at the Oasis. Browse table after table of locally made arts and crafts to find just what you need. There will be custom gifts, holiday decor and more. Get your gifts wrapped onsite so they’re ready to go. themarketattheoasis.com

NOV. 11-13 + 17-20

Theatre Baton Rouge keeps the Halloween spirit alive in November with a production of The Addams Family. This comedy follows the members of the family as they try to impress Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents for dinner. theatrebr.org

NOV. 12 + 13

Perkins Rowe has teamed up with the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge to bring back the annual Arts Fest at Perkins Rowe. Local artists and creators will set up along the street to display their work, representing everything from beaded jewelry to craft canvases. There will even be activities and live music. perkinsrowe.com/artsfest

Salsa Saturdays

Baton Rouge Latin Nights brings Latin dance classes and parties to Baton Rouge

BATON ROUGE HAS dance events for rock, rap, country, ’80s music and even underground alternative music. But where do you go to dance to Latin music?

Baton Rouge Latin Nights, a group that hosts monthly Latin nights and dance classes at Chelsea’s Live, aims to be the answer to that question.

It was created by local entrepreneur Josue Ordaz. Originally from Cuba, Ordaz wanted to bring the best Latin music DJs and offer salsa and bachata classes in Baton Rouge.

Margaritas!

By Cynthea Corfah

“(We wanted) to bring Baton Rouge all the Latin musical flavors and for the community to have a place to dance, enjoy a drink and have a great time,” adds Baton Rouge Latin Night’s dance instructor Yesenia Barton.

No dance experience is required to attend Baton Rouge Latin Dance Nights. All are welcome to learn the art of dances like salsa and bachata. Barton leads dance lessons during the first hour, 9-10 p.m.

Lessons are followed by an evening of dancing, drinking and music. DJs

typically play salsa, bachata, merengue, reggaeton, popular hit songs and electronic dance music.

Every month is different, and the events occasionally have a timely theme, such as red, white and blue attire for Labor Day. Past performers have included DJ Ram, VDJ Travieso, VJD Tra, DJ Davila, DJ Crazy Ivan and DJ Ponce.

“(My favorite part of the event is) seeing we can bring something different to Baton Rouge that leads

ATTEND A DANCE NIGHT

The admission fee for Baton Rouge Latin Nights is $10. You must be 18 or older to attend. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Find Baton Rouge Latin Nights on Instagram or Facebook

to a great night resulting in happy faces,” Barton says.

This isn’t an event where people hug the walls and watch from the sidelines.At Baton Rouge Latin Nights, attendees take over the dance floor and show off their moves.

It’s a judgment-free zone where people of all experience levels can celebrate Latin culture, move their bodies and enjoy music in an energetic and fun environment.

MUSIC BEST BETS

NOV. 11

NOV. 4

Originally formed in Baton Rouge, Better Than Ezra is going back to its roots with a stop at L’Auberge Casino and Hotel on its latest tour. Come welcome the band back and hear all their biggest hits like “Good” and “Desperately Wanting.” lbatonrouge.com

NOV. 4 Get ready for a musical trip as Iceman Special takes the stage at Chelsea’s Live. The New Orleans band brings psychedelic rock realness along with other influences like funk and reggae. chelseaslive.com

NOV. 4

Country rocker Koe Wetzel’s tour is coming to the Raising Cane’s River Center. The Texas-born star promises a fiery show with loud music. Come hear all his hits like “Cabo” and “Something to Talk About.” raisingcanesrivercenter.com

Get a taste of the Big Easy as Rebirth Brass Band performs at Varsity Theatre. The Grammy-winning brass band will play hits like “Do Whatcha Wanna” and “I Feel Like Funkin’ It Up.” Get your dancing shoes, because this music will make you bust a move. varsitytheatre.com

NOV. 11

Celebrate the music of Aretha Franklin with R.E.S.P.E.C.T. at the River Center Theatre. Hear all of Franklin’s hits and learn why she’s known as the Queen of Soul. The tribute concert experience will document Franklin’s life through her music and will have you dancing and singing along. raisingcanesrivercenter.com

NOV. 18

Judas Priest marks 50 years of heavy metal with a celebratory tour that’s making a stop in Baton Rouge. Grab your leather jackets and studs, and get ready to rock out with these legends at the Raising Cane’s River Center. The heavy metal pioneers will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year. raisingcanesrivercenter.com

COURTESY L’AUBERGE CASINO AND HOTEL

JEREMY DANIEL / COURTESY RAISING CANE’S RIVER CENTER

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NOV. 1-6

Feast on fried delicacies and get your adrenaline pumping with carnival rides when the Greater Baton Rouge State Fair comes to town. This fair has been bringing the fun to Baton Rouge since 1965 and is back at a new location this year, the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales. Enjoy magic shows, live music and so much more. gbrsf.com

NOV. 13

ALL OF THE LIGHTS

Celebrate Baton Rouge arts with Mid City’s biggest annual art event, White Light Night. Follow the twinkling lights along Government Street to find a variety of vendors. Browse the different tents, find some goodies for yourself, or get some early holiday gifts. Find it on Facebook

Break out your fancy garden party wear for the Wine & Roses Rambler at LSU AgCenter’s Botanic Gardens at Burden. Roam through the rose gardens as you try delicious appetizers and sip on wine and mixed drinks. For entertainment, the Civic Orchestra of Baton Rouge will provide music. lsu.edu/botanic-gardens

NOV. 26-30

City Slice hosts World Cup Watch Parties for all of the soccer matchups. Munch on some piping hot slices as you watch your favorite team score goals. cityslicepizza.com

NOV. 27

Santa’s coming to town a little early this year for Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center’s Santa’s Jingle Bell Brunch. Kiddos will have the opportunity to take photos with Santa and tell him what they want for Christmas. There will be a brunch buffet, a hot cocoa bar, a mimosa bar and a cookie decorating station to get everyone into the holiday spirit.

MORE EVENTS

PATROLLING THE FUN

The pups of PAW Patrol are headed to Baton Rouge for PAW Patrol Live! at the Raising Cane’s River Center. Come see Chase, Marshall, Sky and friends on a pirate adventure. Watch as they embark on a sea mission to save their friends and find treasure. raisingcanesrivercenter.com

Subscribe to our newsletter 225 Daily for our twice-weekly roundups of events. 225batonrouge.com/225daily

LAFAYETTE

NOV. 5-7: Abbeville’s Giant Omelette Celebration, giantomelette.org

NOV. 10-13: Port Barre Cracklin Festival, cracklinfest.com

NOV. 17: Louisiana Restaurant Association Acadiana Food & Wine Soirée, lra.org

In every issue of 225, you’ll find a free print on this page. FRAMED celebrates life and art in Baton Rouge, each one featuring a local photographer, place or graphic designer. Cut it out to hang in your cubicle, or frame it for your home gallery wall. Show us where you hang them by tagging them on social media with #225prints.

GET FEATURED We love spotlighting local photographers, artists and designers for this page! Shoot us an email at editor@225batonrouge.com to chat about being featured.

I VOTED“LOUISIANA STATE OF MIND” BY BECKY FOS Courtesy Secretary of State / voterportal.sos.la.gov