local stores and markets stocked with madeLouisianafixin’s and more
A guide to shopping locA l, from shelf staples to holidAy fAvorites and everything in between
SCAN THE QR CODE TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF HER AMAZING STORY.
ALETHA JOHNSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN EDUCATOR AND GIFTED QUILTER. THE PAIN IN HER BACK WAS SO EXCRUCIATING THAT IT KEPT HER FROM BEING ABLE TO DO WHAT SHE LOVES THE MOST, MAKING QUILTS. BY SEEKING THE SERVICES OF DR. ERIC OBERLANDER NOT ONLY DID HE HELP RELIEVE HER PAIN, SHE WAS SO GRATEFUL TO THE EXCELLENT WORK HE AND HIS TEAM PERFORMED, THAT SHE KNITTED TWO BEAUTIFUL QUILTS THAT ARE NOW ON DISPLAY AT HIS OFFICE.
BACK MAKING QUILTS
Whether it’s educating others or making quilts as a craft or for leisure, getting pain free is the ultimate goal!
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ALETHA JOHNSON
SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 16
10 A.M.- 3 P.M
MAIN LIBRARY AT GOODWOOD
Celebrate International Games Day by getting your game on at the Library on Saturday, November 16, 10-3 p.m., at the Main Library at Goodwood! Bring the whole family to this all-ages, free event and see how many different games you can play in one day! Go from card games to life-sized games, enjoy a board game before switching to the VR headset, join a tabletop game session, connect with local gaming resources, and more! Come to the Library for some fun and friendly competition! Learn more at ebrpl.co/gameon. Come
22 What vintage postcards say about Baton Rouge
49 Who is analyzing color and
69 Where to find authentic soul food
75 How a local ballerina is breaking ground And much more…
ON THE COVER
Makin’ groceries
Whether it’s through Louisiana-made products, dishes from hot food lines or foods sourced from around the world, Baton Rouge’s grocery stores help give shoppers a sense of home. For this month’s cover, 225 Staff Photographer Collin Richie captured a few local favorites that the 225 team sourced from local shops’ shelves. Turn to page 34 for a deep dive into Greater Baton Rouge grocers’ goods—and how they serve our community.
a
Supermarket stocks
wide selection of produce, including mangosteen, a sweet tropical fruit that’s rich in antioxidants.
Grocery games
MY FIRST JOB was at a grocery store.
I was a kid without a resume who needed to save for college. So when Winn-Dixie became the first—and only—employer to respond to a stack of job applications I’d desperately dispersed around town, my new boss could barely extend an offer for a cashier role before I said: “I’ll take it.”
I was a shy teenager. At first, I was terrified about making small talk all day. But when I put on my uniform, I became a different person.
I’d ease into friendly conversation about the contents of strangers’ shopping carts. Not quite a Trader Joe’s-level of chatty. But a few weeks at the register did wonders for my confidence.
They say it’s easier to learn a new language when you’re a child. That summer, I immersed myself in translating PLUs. Bananas: 4011. Limes: 4048. Green onions: 4068.
When my line got long, every second was precious. There was no time to stress over my cheat sheet of codes, squinting at grainy blackand-white photos of artichokes. I needed to punch in the numbers swiftly, like second nature. Sometimes I’d swallow my embarrassment and ask a customer to ID an herb or fruit. I promised myself I’d only ask once, inspecting the leaves on cilantro and parsley for future reference.
There were other lessons, too. Clocking in taught me about punctuality. Running the register taught me about pacing and staying calm under pressure. I learned how to work in rhythm with my colleagues. I’d scan, they’d bag, like an assembly line. I learned how to multitask, sometimes scanning, bagging and cleaning all at once.
But most of all, I studied the people. There’s nothing as personal as the food we bring home. The small window I had into customers’ shopping lists felt like a secret invitation into their lives.
I rang up children’s birthday cakes, breakupworthy pints of Ben & Jerry’s and the makings of a midweek stir-fry to feed a whole family.
Long after I hung up my uniform, my experience behind the register stuck with me.
I think of it when I visit home for the holidays and make a last-minute pumpkin pie pickup. I think of it when I shop here—the most special place I’ve encountered for makin’ groceries.
Food is a culture of its own in the Capital Region. I remember looking for a Publix when I moved here a decade ago—and instead discovering a whole lineup of local grocers I’d never heard of before. Alexander’s Highland Market. Calvin’s Bocage Market. Matherne’s Market. Calandro’s Supermarket. Rouses Markets. So many more.
As I walked the aisles of each for the first time, it struck me: Louisiana doesn’t just have its own craft beer. It has its own chips. Its own seasoning. Its own mayo. Its own coffee. Its own flavor
It’s why we’ve dedicated our November cover story to our region’s one-of-a-kind grocery landscape. In a package orchestrated by Managing Editor Laura Furr Mericas, we’re touring specialty products, hot food lines, international markets, beverage selections and more.
Because our local groceries have a language all their own. And we couldn’t coordinate our Thanksgiving dinners, Mardi Gras celebrations or crawfish boils without it.
Jennifer Tormo Alvarez 225 Editor-in-Chief
An award-winning year
Congratulations to the 225 team, which was recently honored with national and regional awards for writing, photography and design for stories published last year.
225 earned a combined total of 12 awards, including regional Diamond Journalism Awards, regional Green Eyeshade Awards and national Society for Features Journalism’s Excellence-in Features Awards:
FIRST PLACE
• Cover Design, Diamond Journalism Awards
Covers by Melinda Gonzalez and Collin Richie
• Criticism/Reviews, Diamond Journalism Awards
Restaurant reviews by Benjamin Leger
• Sports, Diamond Awards
“ The transfer portal puzzle” by Mark Clements
SECOND PLACE
• Graphics, Green Eyeshade Awards + Diamond Awards
“Keep calm and game-day on” by Melinda Gonzalez
• Best Cover, Green Eyeshade Awards
“Breakfast time” by 225 Staff
• Enterprise/In-Depth Reporting, Diamond Awards
“In the weeds” by Maggie Heyn Richardson
• Sports Reporting, Green Eyeshade Awards
“ The transfer portal puzzle” by Mark Clements
• Feature Photography, Green Eyeshade Awards
Food photography by Collin Richie
• Photo Spread/Essay, Diamond Awards
“Seafood lover’s guide” by Collin Richie
THIRD PLACE
• Food Feature, Society for Features Journalism
“ Takes the (tea) cake” by Maggie Heyn Richardson
• Food Criticism, Society for Features Journalism
“New world” by Benjamin Leger
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Must be 21 to enter gaming side of ESPN BET. Does not include tax and gratuity. Receive one scorecard with any dine-in food purchase.
Publisher: Julio Melara
EDITORIAL
Chief Content Officer: Penny Font
Editor-In-Chief: Jennifer Tormo Alvarez
Managing Editor: Laura Furr Mericas
Features Writer: Maggie Heyn Richardson
Digital Staff Writer: Olivia Deffes
Multimedia Editor: Oscar Tickle
Staff Photographer: Collin Richie
Contributing Writers:
Madison Cooper, Cynthea Corfah, Gracelyn Farrar, Tracey Koch, Jeff Roedel
Contributing Photographers: Ariana Allison, Amy Shutt, Avery White
Audience Development Director and Digital Manager: James Hume
Audience Development Coordinator: Ivana Oubre
Audience Development Associate: Catherine Albano
Customer Experience Coordinator: Kathy Thomas
A publication of Melara Enterprises, LLC Chairman: Julio Melara
Executive Assistant: Brooke Motto
Vice President-Sales: Elizabeth McCollister Hebert
Chief Content Officer: Penny Font
Chief Digital and Strategy Officer: Erin Pou
Chief Operating Officer: Guy Barone
Circulation/Reprints
circulation@225batonrouge.com
TOP STORIES
September 2024’s most-read articles at 225batonrouge.com
CONNECT WITH US
A Baton Rouge restaurant was just named one of the 50 best in America
First Look: Bistro Byronz Mid City reveals stylish rebrand, Brasserie Byronz
Read more on page 20!
What do LSU’s championshipwinning athletes eat? We asked The Tiger Chef
Feedback on our September issue, which included a cover story on fall festival season:
“Great magazine!! I love how y’all put all the festivals in there! We need one for the whole year so I can plan ahead!! ”
—@lamunedx, via Instagram
Readers’ notes
Follow us on YouTube to catch up on the latest episodes of 225’s Between the Lines!
On our story about Dean Hotard, whose LSU-themed cloth signs have become highly anticipated by Tiger fans and star athletes alike:
“The best sign artist and the sweetest family!”
—@joanchastain, via Instagram
Re: Our Between the Lines episode about the history and culture behind Mary Lee Donuts:
“Much better than Krispy Kreme’s greasy things!”
—@nikki_washington_ foster, via Instagram
Comments and analytics are from Sept. 1-30, 2024. They have been lightly edited for clarity and brevity.
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You’re free to live your life out loud! Because you’ve got the compassion of the cross, the security of the shield, and the comfort of Blue behind you.
This Month @ BREC [NOVEMBER]
NOW HIRING APPLY TODAY!
REVIVE YOUR MIND NATURE HIKE
Cohn Arboretum
Nov. 2 | 9:30-11:30 a.m.
THE EDGE OF NIGHT
Highland Road Park Observatory
Nov. 8 | 4:45-6:45 p.m.
EMBRACING RECREATION
Milton J. Womack Park
Nov. 8 | 5-7 p.m.
GUIDED TRAIL RIDES
Farr Park Equestrian Center
Nov. 9 | 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
VETERAN’S DAY AT THE ZOO
BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo
Nov. 9 | 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
SWEET TOOTH DESIGNS
Highland Road Community Park
Nov. 14 | 6-7 p.m.
Church St. Park Nov. 20 | 6-7 p.m.
SUNSHINE SOCIAL: GRATEFUL GATHERING
Milton J. Womack Park Ballroom Nov. 15 | 6-9 p.m.
SWAMP ART SHOW FIELD DAYS
Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center Nov. 16-17 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m
STAMP’N FOR TWO
Baringer Road Art Center Nov. 16 | 10 a.m.-noon
BREC.ORg/thismonth
HOOPER HUSTLE
Hooper Road Park
Nov. 23 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
PRIVET PULL-OOZA
Bayou Manchac Park Nov. 23 | 9 a.m.-noon
FALL HOLIDAY CAMPS
Various Locations
Nov. 25-27 | 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
ZOO LIGHTS
BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo
Nov. 29-Dec. 30 | 5:30-8 p.m.
(closed Christmas Eve + Christmas Day)
How we ROLL
In the season of warm spices, a cinnamon roll hits the spot
BY
HEYN
MAGGIE
RICHARDSON PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
IT’S NOT A stretch to say that, aside from cakes and cookies, the cinnamon roll is a bakery poster child.
So beloved is the ubiquitous treat that it graces the menus of sweet shops small and large, and even has a famously aromatic fastfood iteration—as anyone who’s strolled through an airport or mall can attest.
Swathed in creamy frosting and embroidered with currents of cinnamon-y goodness, the pastry is the ultimate expression of comfort, an indulgent breakfast treat, afternoon pick-me-up or midnight snack.
In Baton Rouge, cinnamon rolls are having a moment, and it wouldn’t be the worst idea this month to see how many you can
bakery industry for several years in Baton Rouge and in her native North Carolina. At Camino Bakery, a Winston-Salem institution, she made cinnamon rolls by the gross.
Fansler moved to the Capital City in 2019, and after managing a local bakery, fulfilled a longstanding dream of opening her own business.
Cinnamon roll success depends on balancing moisture to achieve its hybrid pillowy-but-dense texture. “You want a bit of a crust, but you want it to be soft,” Fansler says.
She uses a Japanese baking technique, tangzhong, to combine and cook down bread flour and milk, forming a paste to which she adds the other ingredients.
Once the dough has proofed, she rolls it out, spreading a filling of brown sugar, cinnamon, butter, orange zest and a secret spice she won’t reveal. The dough is coiled, sliced and placed into jumbo muffin tins. After rising again, it’s baked and smeared with Fansler’s homemade vanilla bean cream cheese frosting.
Watching someone enjoy one of her cinnamon rolls is just as good as eating it herself, Fansler says.
“When I see someone appreciating one,” she says, “it’s the best feeling in the world.” Find it on Instagram at @midcitybakery
MORE, PLEASE
Other local spots to try cinnamon rolls
CounterspaceBR
5621 Government St.
Freshly baked and take-and-bake cinnies are a mainstay of this bakery. counterspacebr.com
Maru Bread Co.
spot and sample. After all, it’s cinnamon season.
A standout version comes from Mid City Bakery, the cottage enterprise launched in January that sells fresh pastries at Pelican to Mars’ onsite coffee cart House Brew and at various local pop-ups.
Making a good cinnamon roll is an art, says founder Kimberly Fansler, who worked in the
The boutique pop-up makes tender rolls with a thick layer of creamy frosting. Find it on Instagram at @marubreadco
Simple Joe Cafe
3057 Government St.
The Mid City breakfast haunt makes trays of homemade cinnamon rolls. simplejoecafe.biz
Yaya’s Blooms & Dough
This new micro-bakery’s signature cinnamon rolls are made with sourdough. Find it on Instagram at @yayasbloomsanddough
Kimberly Fansler, founder of Mid City Bakery, who sells her cinnamon rolls and pastries at pop-ups and House Brew, located within Pelican to Mars
Hwy
DEC 8 • 10AM - DUSK
Compiled by Gracelyn Farrar
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 very special guest and surprise.
The number of restaurants on The New York Times’ The Restaurant List, which included locally owned Zeeland Street among the best restaurants in America. Stephanie Phares’ neighborhood breakfast and lunch eatery was described as a “paragon” of the Southern plate lunch form by Times reporter Brett Anderson. zeelandstreet.com
Back and better Main Street Market unveiled its long-awaited renovations in September. The downtown facility, which closed for more than a year, now features an open, flexible space for vendors and restaurants, as well as a new BREADA teaching kitchen to offer better flow and more connection to the Red Stick Farmers Market. breada.org
DIGIT
International influence
Crystal and Jizong Lin opened Hikari Ramen on Corporate Boulevard in September, aiming to provide an authentic Japanese-style experience. Draped in decorative cherry blossoms and accented by a woodpaneled ceiling, the eatery includes rice burgers, milk teas and classic ramen bowls, made with flavorful broths simmered for a generous 14 hours. hikariramen.com
The real deal
Baton Rouge fashion brand Love My Reality went international this fall, taking designs from its Perkins Rowe storefront to the Milan Fashion Week runway. In a show at Italy's Palazzo Serbelloni, designer and coowner Crystal Lewis showed off her Sweet Fire and Ice collection, with metallic tones and styles for all body shapes. lovemyreality.com
SAY WHAT? “Part of working and serving is being happy to do it. ”
–Johnny Hoang, owner of Uchi Sushi, which opened in August. The industry veteran aims to create a melting pot of flavors at his new restaurant. Customers can see the preparation of 30 fresh rolls and other menu items, like hibachi and sashimi, at the open-kitchen concept on Bluebonnet Boulevard. Find it on Facebook
The Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center invites artists to submit work for our annual Art Exhibition.
MEDIUMS WELCOME! FIBER ARTS • FINE ART • PHOTOGRAPHY
Inside Brasserie Byronz, a stylish reimagining of Bistro Byronz Mid City
ONE OF BATON ROUGE’S long-standing family-owned restaurants, Bistro Byronz, recently revealed the transformation of its Mid City location to Brasserie Byronz: a design-forward rebrand that continues the concept’s French throughline.
If Bistro Byronz was a comfy, come-as-you-are café, Brasserie Byronz is its lively, sophisticated cousin, a next-generation evolution that leans into refinement while remaining energetic and fun. Its new décor, menu and cocktail program are inspired by the brasseries of Paris, New York and
AT A GLANCE
The bar
New Orleans. It’s the kind of place where you can dress up or down, sip one of several new Champagnes and cocktails, and dine on timeless brasserie dishes like French Onion Soup and Steak Frites, says Byronz Restaurant Family Group CEO Emelie Kantrow Alton.
The restaurant group’s other locations, Bistro Byronz and Pizza Byronz in Willow Grove, will not change. “That will give us three distinct concepts for Baton Rouge,” Alton says.
Here’s what’s new. bistrobyronz.com
MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON
Like any good brasserie, the bar is now a focal point, thanks to the removal of barriers that previously prevented a clear vista from the dining room. A couple dozen new specialty cocktails are on offer, including The Frenchie, pictured here.
The food Chef Shannon Bingham shaped the new menu. Beloved dishes like Blue Cheese Chips will still be available, but many legacy items now signal the brasserie upgrade. Building on Bistro Byronz’s famed pot roast, for example, Brasserie Byronz features the new Pot Roast Bourguignon with red wine gravy studded with mushrooms and carrots. The popular Byronz Sandwich has inspired the new Croque Byronz, a croque monsieur play with gruyere and bechamel. And there are completely new items to experience, too.
The design
Hexagonal floor tile and pressed tin ceiling tiles are cast in the soft glow of globe drop lights and sconces. New banquettes line the main dining room and are outfitted in brick-red fabric. Arched millwork painted a deep gray has been installed around the bar and dining room’s many mirrors. Read more about the redesign at 225batonrouge.com/food-drink.
R ted rel ionship
Since 1978, a bank that feels like family. Breaking ground early 2025, 9015 Je erson Highway.
Whitney Boyd
SENDING LOVE FROM…
BY OLIVIA DEFFES
Rare images from decades past, plucked from the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s collection of more than 200 postcards
WE’RE SPOILED WHEN it comes to communication these days. With a few taps, we can chat with long-distance friends and family. At all hours, notifications chime the instant someone is trying to get in touch via text, call, DM or email. In the era before cell phones and high-speed internet, most relied on the good ole U.S. Postal Service
to transmit greetings to their intended recipients. While snail mail took time to travel, postcards became an easy way to send a short update or to inform others of one's whereabouts—or just let someone know you were thinking of them. Though postcard popularity has dipped, many still dabble in deltiology, or postcard collecting.
We combed through the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s digital collection of over 200 historic postcards. The large lot comes from donors, collectors, estate sales, antique shops and eBay.
The images we found tell a bit about Baton Rouge’s rich history as a destination town. Here are our favorites. ebrpl.com
Step right up!
One of the rarest cards in the library’s collection is this slightly blurry, black-and-white 1909 photo of the HagenbeckWallace Circus. The image depicts the circus workers unloading at the train station, which is now the Louisiana Art & Science Museum, before heading to open greenspace east of downtown.
Catch of the day
Tailgating, gathering and letting the good times roll—that’s “how we do things” in Baton Rouge today. Well, it seems residents did things a little differently back in 1910, as shown in this wacky postcard of four men reeling in a massive game fish.
Old and new
Take a gander at this before and after comparison of Louisiana’s State Capitol buildings. The original castle-like building was completed in 1850 and renovated by 1882 to include its grand spiral staircase and multicolored, stained-glass dome. The towering, modern version was constructed in the early 1930s at a separate downtown site. At 450 feet, it still stands as the tallest state capitol in the country.
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center has earned the highest level of stroke certification from The Joint Commission, a designation for hospitals that quickly and accurately treat the most complex stroke cases.
Our world-class Comprehensive Stroke Center team continues to lead in providing stroke prevention, complex treatment and recovery care.
When a stroke strikes, where you seek care matters. Learn more at ololrmc.com/stroke.
Take a dip
When it was completed in 1932, the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse’s long outdoor pool was the largest of its kind in the country. In its prime, it was used for water pageants and swim lessons. The once-opulent Fieldhouse, known for lavish amenities like its grand ballroom and soda fountain, became less grand as newer buildings were added to campus. Eventually, its massive pool was abandoned. During the building’s recent $33 million renovation, the pool was transformed into green space.
Dazzling downtown
Downtown Baton Rouge was once an even more thriving part of the community than today, as evidenced by this Third Street photo showing the district illuminated during its glory days of the 1950s and 1960s. Bright street lights and glowing neon signs point patrons to a multitude of operating businesses.
Enjoy your stay
Issue Date: Nov 2024 Ad proof #2
•
•
•
Before it was the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, this downtown hotel was home to two previous iterations for vacationers and out-of-towners alike. First was the Heidelberg Hotel, constructed in 1927 with three restaurants, a cocktail lounge and space for conventions and banquets. In the 1950s, the Capitol House Hotel was added to the space, with more modern rooms and other amenities including TVs, telephones and a rooftop pool.
or
Super dome
Don’t be fooled by the futuristic aesthetic of this structure—it was actually completed in 1958. The Union Tank Car Dome, a geodesic structure constructed with little internal support, was used to repair and repaint tank cars. At the time of its completion, it was the largest, clear-span structure in the world. It eventually was demolished in 2007.
Issue Date: nov2024 Ad proof #3
• Please respond by e-mail or phone with your approval or minor revisions.
• AD WILL RUN AS IS unless approval or final revisions are received within 24 hrs from receipt of this proof. A shorter timeframe will apply for tight deadlines.
• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.
All aboard!
Drive through campus today, and you may have the unfortunate issue of getting stuck behind a massive Tiger Trails bus, shuttling students to lecture halls or off-campus housing. Before the big buses, there was the Tiger Train, a quirky yellow, multicar vehicle that debuted in the 1960s. The train was even given a “christening” via water-filled oil cans when it arrived on campus. It was intended to jet students to faraway spots while also alleviating car traffic on campus.
GUMBO FIXINGS
Golden hour
Wisdom from some of LSU’s 2024 Olympians
By Madison Cooper
BATON ROUGE WAS well-represented in the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer, with former LSU athletes claiming gold, silver and bronze accolades.
We caught up with a few of the Tiger medalists to learn about their Olympic experiences. Each athlete spoke of how their time spent training in Louisiana prepared them for competition on the world stage.
We asked what they’d say to aspiring athletes who want to compete in the Olympics one day. Here are their words for the next generation.
Quotes have been edited for clarity and brevity.
8
Number of medals former LSU athletes took home in the 2024 Paris Olympics: three gold, four silver and one bronze. The medalists included: Mondo Duplantis, Sha’Carri Richardson, Vernon Norwood, Brooks Curry, Juan Celaya-Hernandez and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake.
JUAN CELAYA-HERNANDEZ
Silver medalist in men’s synchronized 3-meter springboard
“It’s not an easy journey—it’s hard. You have to wake up whether you’re feeling motivated or not. You have to focus on your goal and follow it all the way through. Don’t let all the hard times or negative feedback get to your head. … If you can dream it, you can make it.”
VERNON NORWOOD
Gold medalist in men’s 4×400-meter relay (Olympic records)
Silver medalist in mixed 4×400-meter relay (World record in heat)
“Try to understand yourself before you try to do something that you don’t know how to do. You’re not going to get very far at anything in life or any sport if you’re not disciplined, working hard and dedicated to your craft. You have to find out what works for you and your max to be able to push yourself to the next level. The main thing is to be dedicated, humble and disciplined.”
BROOKS CURRY
Silver medalist in men’s 4×200-meter freestyle relay
“Stick with the sport for as long as you can. (Swimming) is a very difficult sport, and if you can get over wanting to walk away and instead just keep putting in consistent work, you’re going to be better than everybody else. Staying determined and working hard is the way that you’ll make it.”
DIGIT
Nang Keophommavong
COOKING IS A lifelong passion for Nang Keophommavong, a Baton Rouge restaurateur whose kitchen wisdom has informed local eateries Thai Pepper and Chai Thai-Lao, plus others outside the Capital Region.
Eschewing shortcuts and taking extra steps to layer flavors—even in casual concepts— is Keophommavong’s culinary calling card, says daughter Kit Keophommavong-Bradford.
The two opened the Thai and Laotian restaurant, Chai Thai-Lao, in early 2023.
“When she was growing up, everything was about using what you grew,” KeophommavongBradford says. “There was no going to Walmart.”
Keophommavong, now 66, immigrated to the United States from Thailand in the ’80s, settling first in California before making her way to the Bayou State.
The mother of four opened Thai Pepper in 2000, running it with a partner for about 20 years. Her culinary prowess is known among her extended network of friends and family. She has consulted on four other restaurants outside Baton Rouge, including eateries on the Northshore and in Florida and Washington state.
“When they open a new restaurant, they call me to help out,” Keophommavong says.
Keophommavong-Bradford credits her mom for old-school techniques that have helped Chai Thai-Lao garner a loyal following in less than two years. Sales have far surpassed expectations, she says.
“One thing she does is add muscadine leaves to the papaya salad sauce as it cooks. It adds umami,” KeophommavongBradford says. “That comes from using what’s around you.”
Keophommavong makes her own toasted rice powder, an Asian cooking pantry staple that adds texture and nuttiness. She does so by toasting and grinding sticky rice after cooking it with lemongrass and other undisclosed ingredients. She also developed the restaurant’s popular Thai eggroll recipe, calling for freshly chopped pork inside hand-rolled wheat wrappers and a homemade sweet and sour sauce.
restaurant, Keophommavong is known for hosting large Sunday family dinners with scratch-made soups and noodle and rice dishes, including the crowd-pleasing kaipun, a curry noodle soup with ground fish and pork, her daughter says.
“It makes me happy to cook for my children and my family.” chai-thai-lao.com
“Taking extra steps to layer in casual concepts—is Keophommavong’s culinary calling
makin' makin'
GROCERIES GROCERIES
SEE IT PLAYED out inside any given store.
It’s the Louisiana-made marmalade near the produce section, the crawfish tails in the freezer or the variety of jambalaya mixes in the aisles.
It’s the way patrons cherry pick from their weekly shopping lists. Here, shoppers are so deeply familiar with inventories, they’ll break their grocery runs up by store: scooping chicken salad from one shop, braided bread loafs from another, fresh seafood from a third.
Louisiana residents love local—and are drawn to the businesses that do, too.
But how did we get this way?
It’s a classic chicken or the egg situation: Which came first? Baton Rouge’s uniquely local grocery scene or Associated Grocers, the organization that helps independent stores thrive here?
It’s hard to say. But here’s what we know: The Baton Rouge-born association got its start in 1950 as a way for local stores to boost their buying power and thus lower costs for businesses and their customers. It began as a
group of 17 of the most prominent family shops in the city and has grown to roughly 100 locations across the Southeast, each focused on meeting the needs of the community it serves.
It’s this local focus that Manard Lagasse Jr., CEO of Associated Grocers, says has kept customers coming back for nearly 75 years.
“We understand the culture and how culture is intertwined with food in Louisiana,” Lagasse says.
Not all independent grocers in the Capital Region are a part of the Associated Grocers family of brands—though according to our reporting, roughly 80% of them are—but it’s hard not to notice these common themes in shops throughout our neighborhoods.
“We’re very fortunate to live in an area where people support their local economy, and grocery stores are just one of the things that they continue to support,” Lagasse says. “We’re very thankful for that.”
And regardless of which came first, or where you shop, that sentiment rings true: When makin’ groceries in the Capital Region, there’s a whole lot to be thankful for.
A GUIDE TO LO uisi A nA-b A s ED, in DEpE ndent Ly OwnED, ful L-s Ervice
OCErY stOr Es I n the capi Ta L ReG i O n
This list does not include convenience stores, produce stands or specialty shops. Did we miss your favorite grocery? Let us know by emailing editor@225batonrouge.com.
Springfield Supermarket 10235 Springfield Road, Denham Springs
*St. Francisville Market 7135 La. Highway 61, St. Francisville
*Veron’s Supermarket 1951 W. Main St., Lutcher
Village Grocery Deli & Seafood 13510 Perkins Road
*Whitehall Grocery 22633 La. Highway 22, Maurepas
Winbourne Grocery 4325 Winbourne Ave.
$800 million
Annual sales by Associated Grocers
44,000
Square feet of the new Rouses Market that opened on Florida Boulevard this year, in part to help address issues of access
70,000+ East Baton Rouge Parish residents who lived 1 mile or more from a grocery store
CELESTE GILL
Chef and culinary instructor
“Matherne’s Market downtown. I can place advance orders, and its quality is always top-notch. It has all my specialty items.”
MARY -BRENNAN SENSING
Owner, MJ’s Café
“I shop around. Costco for staples, Southside Produce for veggies. My dairy-free options are a toss between Sprouts Farmers Market, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.”
TREMAINE DEVINE
Chef/owner, Tre’s Street Kitchen
“My favorite is Calandro’s Supermarket in Mid City. It carries the biggest variety of local products.”
ALFRED HAIMBACH
Chef, Phil’s Oyster Bar
“I’m currently on a low-carb, high-protein diet, and when I shop, I’m looking for a beef cut called a chuck eye, which is between a ribeye and a chuck. I have the most luck at Albertsons and Hi Nabor.”
JIM URDIALES
Chef/owner, Mestizo Louisiana Mexican Cuisine
“I visit Calandro’s, Albertsons, Trader Joe’s and La Tienda Latina weekly, but when I have catered events I go to Sprouts Farmers Market for my grazing boards. It brings in specialty produce, such as Japanese eggplant.”
CAMERON CAGE
Chef, City Pork Jefferson
“My favorite style of cuisine is Asian, and Vinh Phat Market has some of the coolest things I can’t get anywhere else. La Morenita Meat Market also has a selection I can’t get anywhere else. It has some of the most authentic Mexican food in Baton Rouge, so I can get lunch while I shop.”
CHEFS ARE PEOPLE, too. And like the rest of us, they find themselves making regular, and frequent, stops at the grocery store. Where do they shop? Read on to find out.
Carter's Supermarket
MARKET VALUES
International grocery stores like Asian Supermarket connect shoppers with hard-to-find heritage foods
BY JENNIFER TORMO ALVAREZ
IT’S CALLED SONGPYEON: a small, elegant rice cake. Its chewy dough cocoons sweet fillings and, perhaps, even sweeter memories.
Gary Chen recalls how thankful one of his Asian Supermarket shoppers was when he sourced the Korean rice cakes for her.
“When we have something that reminds them of home, customers get really excited about it,” says Chen, Asian Supermarket’s general manager.
Shaped like little half-moons, songpyeon is stuffed with red bean paste or chestnuts and steamed over pine needles. It is a culinary token of respect during the fall harvest holiday, Chuseok.
And it almost always feels like the holidays inside the Florida Boulevard store.
The inventory, which includes about 20,000 items from Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore and other Asian countries, rotates to accommodate seasonal traditions.
It’s a mid-September afternoon, and the store is selling the last of the flurry of mooncakes it stocked for the Chinese harvest celebration, Mid-Autumn Festival.
Walking the shop, Chen clutches a cordless landline phone. He answers it midstep, switching swiftly from English to his native Mandarin. He also speaks some Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese.
“I’m always learning about different cultures so I can talk to our customers,” he says.
Asian Supermarket launched in Lafayette in 2009, expanding to Baton Rouge in 2017. Chen’s uncle, Xian Zhong, runs the Lafayette shop. His cousin, Yuki Chen, owns the Baton Rouge location and Asian Seafood House, a restaurant in the same shopping center. It’s known for its dim sum and hot pot.
Chen wanders down an aisle with snacks, plucking a salmoncolored bag of Lay’s off the shelf.
Asian Supermarket general manager Gary Chen and Asian Seafood House manager Yen Wang with Yuki Chen, who owns both businesses
Find a selection of tropical fruits at Asian Supermarket, including the rambutan, which has a sweet, floral flavor that’s similar to the lychee.
The spicy crawfish version from China is a big hit among the shop’s 50-plus varieties of chips.
A case near the front of the store is stuffed with pastries from Taiwan’s popular 85°C Bakery Cafe. And in the ramen section, Chen points out a carbonara flavor. Both are bait for the TikTok crowd.
In the back of the shop, bubbles whir inside large aquariums, temporary homes for live fish and crustaceans. Long, lanky eels seem to peer through the glass. The market’s bestselling blue crabs scurry inside large crates.
Chen shuffles over to the produce aisles, sifting through bins of bitter melon and durian. He
scoops up a round purple mangosteen. Depending on the season, it can fetch $10 to $16 per pound— the market’s most expensive fruit.
And there are more rarities in-store, items that Chen says are difficult to find elsewhere.
“We want to bring hometown dishes back to families,” he says, “while also giving American shoppers something new to discover.”
Patrons file in and out. Most roam for a few minutes before carting their stash to the register.
But the grocery bags they tote home hold the key ingredients to holiday spreads or special meals—and lifelong memories.
International markets in the Capital Region
African Market 10655 Florida Blvd.
Sahara African Market 2216 N. Sherwood Forest Drive
AFRICA ASIA EUROPE
Asian Supermarket 11244 Florida Blvd.
Asian Market 8342 Perkins Road
Kased’s International Market 8129 Florida Blvd.
Manam Indian Food and Groceries 4343 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd., C.
NORTH AMERICA
Cannatella Grocery 3869 Government St.
Randazzo’s Italian Market
240 Capitol St., Denham Springs
A-Z International Fine Foods 13461 Tiger Bend Road
Bissmillah Food Market 10655 Florida Blvd.
Fashion India and Groceries 11802 Coursey Blvd.
Hung Thinh Supermarket 1134 Marque Ann Drive
Olive Tree’s International Food Inc. 12812 Coursey Blvd
Oriental Food Market 162 Lee Drive
Vinh Phat Market 12351 Florida Blvd.
SOUTH AMERICA
Bravitos Market 40235 La. Highway 42, Suite A, Prairieville
El Bodegon Latin Market 10979 Coursey Blvd., Suite H
Ideal Market 1817 S. Sherwood Forest Blvd. 9301 Burbank Drive
Latinos Supermarket 11435 Florida Blvd.
La Mexicana 7034 Siegen Lane
La Mexicana 648 W. La. Highway 30, B., Gonzales
La Morenita Meat Market 7981 Florida Blvd.
Tienda Gloria Mini Market 1308 Florida Ave. SW, Denham Springs
Tienda Latina La Surena 14414 La. Highway 44, Gonzales
Tienda Latina Los Ramos 10449 Airline Highway
Tienda Latina y Restaurante 6001 Siegen Lane
El Tio Supermarket 9656 Burbank Drive
Tortilleria El Rey 13869 Florida Blvd.
Know an international store we missed? Tell us at editor@225batonrouge.com.
Asian Supermarket stocks about 20,000 items from abroad, including hard-to-find beverages, produce, viral potato chip flavors and more.
Local flavor
Hunting for Louisiana-made items at Capital Region markets and specialty shops
BY OLIVIA DEFFES
IN A WORLD of grocery pickups and deliveries, it can be refreshing to push a cart through the aisles of a Capital Region mom-and-pop market. Sure, you can find a lot on your list at those big box stores, but these niche shelves hold nostalgic and homemade goods you can’t find anywhere else.
Whether you need a taste of home or are looking to stock up for out-of-towners coming in for the holidays, browse selections from these neighborhood spots before making that trip to Walmart.
Here are some unique finds.
1. Chris’s Specialty Foods
3075 Millerville Road
18135 E. Petroleum Drive, Suite J
Meat pies, smoked briskets, turduckens. There’s plenty of protein to go around at Chris’s. Season up your cuts with housemade seasonings, like Cajun and blackening seasonings. Or browse the grocery side of the shop to find locally made items to complete your barbecue platter, like Gator Pickles, a St. Amant creation with an unexpected kick. chrisspecialtyfoods.com
2. Southside
Produce Market
8240 Perkins Road
Besides fresh fruits and veggies, this trickedout roadside stand also houses shelves of its own marinades, salsas, marmalades and salad dressings. Find other Louisiana products like the Cajun Spicy Dirty Rice Dressing mix made by Cajun Fry Products in Pierre Part that takes the guesswork out of holiday side-dishmaking. southsideproducemarket.com
3. Cannatella Grocery
3869 Government St.
Italian imports and fresh pasta are the stars of this shop’s selection. Take a closer look at the packed shelves to find plenty of Louisiana Italian favorites, like fig and biscotti cookies from New Orleans sweet shop Angelo Brocato, and a variety of jarred sauces, like Our Cousin Vinny’s Red Gravy Pasta Sauce made in the 225. cannatellagrocery.com
4. Bergeron’s
City Market
8200 Jefferson Highway
On any given day, Bergeron’s is popping with people filing in and out for hot meals and frozen items for easy dinners. The market stays stocked with homemade products, like massive chicken pot pies that are ovenready and Chef Don Bergeron’s famous fig preserves that can jazz up appetizers and morning meals. chefdonb.com
5. Tony’s
Seafood
5215 Plank Road
After getting your fresh seafood at this market, there are a few more necessities to throw in. Going the deep-fried route? Grab some Louisiana Fish Fry products made next door. And we all know that no fried seafood is complete without some French bread. Snag a loaf or rolls to complete a homemade platter or po-boy. OK, our mouths are watering. tonyseafood.com
6. Maxwell’s Market
7620 Corporate Blvd. | 6241 Perkins Road
No need to travel to New Orleans or Abbeville when Maxwell’s has Central Grocery’s Olive Salad and Steen’s Cane Pepper Jelly. With a kitchen in store, find a packed fridge section with fresh side dishes, soups and other premade meal fixings made daily. And, around the holidays, the Corporate Boulevard location keeps homemade peanut butter pies on deck, made by owner Matthew Landry’s grandmother. maxwells-market.com
1.4 million
The good stuff
Calvin’s Bocage Market’s viral chicken salad has long been worth the hype
BY CYNTHEA CORFAH
“IF I TELL you, I’ll have to kill you,” Brandon Lindsly says jokingly of the recipe for Calvin’s Bocage Market’s famous chicken salad.
Brandon manages the Jefferson Highway grocery, owned and operated by his family since 1996. It’s known locally for its housemade products—its chicken salad a top seller.
And earlier this year, it earned worldwide fame after Real Housewives of New York City star Bethenny Frankel reviewed it on TikTok.
“That’s good stuff,” the self-proclaimed chicken salad influencer declared.
The video racked up about 1.3 million views and tripled sales for the already locally loved chicken dish in the month Frankel posted.
Brandon remembers the chicken salad first becoming popular in 1998. His dad, Calvin Lindsly, the co-owner of the market, developed the secret recipe for more than two years before cracking the code to his signature salad that flies off the shelves today.
Since going viral, Calvin has been arriving
at the store an hour earlier than in years past, as early as 3:30 a.m., to prep. While sales have started to level out, the extra time helps the team get a headstart on the meticulous process.
He, Brandon and one or two staff members boil the chicken for two hours, grind the meat and hand-mix in the other ingredients until it reaches a smooth, pureed texture. Some days, he cooks over 400 pounds of chicken—and when Frankel’s TikTok was at peak virality, that number was more like 1,200 pounds per day.
Brandon says even with the large influx in sales, the store hasn’t run out of chicken salad yet. Nor has its signature smoothness changed.
“The chicken salad is consistent every time,”
Views on Bethenny Frankel’s viral TikTok of Calvin’s chicken salad, as of press time
he says. “There’s no chunks in it. Everybody knows what they’re going to get.”
And it isn’t the only fan favorite at the market. Calvin’s shoppers have been able to squeeze their own orange juice in the store’s produce section since 2013. A large shiny metal juicer slices small oranges in half, strains them and pours out fresh O.J. on demand. The store also sells prepoured bottles for grab and go.
“(People) don’t want any extra additives,” Brandon says. “When you get orange juice from the shelf and you read the ingredients, there’s a paragraph. It should just be one word. ”
Other popular foods include locally baked bread, pecans and a cream cheese frozen torte. And Kalyn’s Pimento Cheese, named for Brandon’s sister, is climbing the ranks of the store’s topsellers. Its recipe, however, isn’t kept quite as close to the chest. calvinsbocage.com
Staples spotlight
Four major Baton Rouge-based brands you’ve probably already added to your cart
Blue Runner Foods
Originally sourced from 21-year-old Pierre Chauvin’s garden in Union, Louisiana, this 100-plus-year-old company moved its operations to Ascension Parish in 1946 and has been known for its canned red beans ever since. Today, Blue Runner produces a variety of dried bean products and Creole bases in addition to its famous brightblue canned goods. bluerunnerfoods.com
Community Coffee
Henry Norman “Cap” Saurage began making coffee at his grocery in 1919. And today his brand, Community Coffee, is sold in just about every store in the city—and even as far as Alaska. Four generations and 105 years later, the Saurage family still tastes its product weekly to maintain Cap’s commitment to flavor. communitycoffee.com
Louisiana Fish Fry Products
This local brand was born in the kitchen of another Red Stick institution: Tony’s Seafood. Its namesake, Tony Pizzolato, realized that customers were coming back not just for the fresh seafood, but for dishes battered in his homemade seasoned fish fry, too. He made the business official in 1982, and today it creates mixes, bases, boil boosters and more. louisianafishfry.com
Meats
What launched as Manda Brothers Provision Co. in Baton Rouge in 1947 is still a family-run operation that now sells its flavorpacked sausages and meats in 15 states. Its smoked pork and andouille sausages are essential ingredients in Louisiana mainstays, like jambalaya and gumbo. mandafinemeats.com
16 016 perkins rd tuesday - sunday 11 am - 3 pm
FULL PLATES
The supermarket
BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON
IT’S LUNCHTIME ON a Friday, and a crowd is gathered in front of Bet-R Grocery’s deli counter. But it’s not sliced ham and turkey that customers are after— it’s plate lunches from the store’s popular hot food line. Through a glass case, they peer at steaming aluminum pans holding scratch cooking from the Deep South canon.
The menu isn’t posted anywhere. Regulars just know what to expect.
Mondays mean red or white beans. Tuesdays feature what head cook Linda Williams-Sparks calls the “gravy” dishes: meatloaf, pork chops and turkey wings. Thursdays yield spaghetti and
meatballs, stuffed bell peppers, cabbage rolls and lasagna—entrees with a ground beef throughline. Wednesdays and Fridays are seafood-themed, luring shoppers with the siren song of fried shrimp and crawfish etouffee.
Fridays are the only day of the week when crawfish cornbread appears, Bet-R’s signature sweetsavory cornbread dressing cooked down with crawfish tails. That may explain why today’s line stretches clear to the dairy section. The seafood specials are joined by three fixed options offered every day: fried catfish, baked chicken and fried chicken.
Customers pick an entree and two side dishes from a roundup that includes macaroni and
cheese, peas, green beans, yams, collard greens and corn. Dessert comes in the form of a daily cobbler in rotating flavors that read like a church supper: peach, apple, blackberry and strawberry, plus a pecan version with a pecan pie-like base topped with a biscuit-y crust.
Williams-Sparks has been working at Bet-R since the ’90s, back when hot lunches were ordered to-go from the counter
and assembled out of sight. Around 20 years ago, co-owner and manager Cliff Boulden installed the glass case, where patrons can gather, gaze and watch as their lunch (or breakfast) is ladled into a clamshell.
“They love it,” says cook Quauna Nash, a four-year employee. “They love coming in and finding these dishes that taste like home.” betrgrocery.com
hot food line is a best-kept secret
Kizzy Anderson and Linda Williams-Sparks work on Bet-R Grocery's hot food line.
STAFF PICKS
The 225 team’s favorite finds at local groceries
FResH-bAkeD cOOkIes
“There’s no wrong way to eat a Reese’s ... cookie from Matherne’s Market. Cookies have had a glow-up recently, with long lines forming around town for fancy, frostingcloaked variations. But the humble, crumbly grocery genre will forever have my heart. Flavors rotate, but I always have my eye out for the ones peppered with silky peanut butter cups.”
LOuISIANA cRaWfisH tAILs
—Jennifer Tormo Alvarez, 225 editor-in-chief
MaRy B’s BIScuITs
“Pillsbury has nothing on this Southern-born brand. Mary B’s has long been my go-to when I’m craving a soft, buttery biscuit but the budget is calling for a meal at home. I find them at Rouses Market, Calandro’s Supermarket and even Walmart.”
“When I’m in the mood to make etouffee or hot crawfish dip for the holidays, I stop by Calandro’s Supermarket in Mid City for a package or two of crawfish tails. Usually kept on ice in a bin near the seafood market, the tender tails are always from regional purveyors. No imported crawfish for me, thanks.”
–Maggie Heyn Richardson, 225 features writer
MORE HOT FOOD LINES AROUND TOWN
Hi Nabor
Multiple locations
The weekday lunch specials feature mains like red beans and rice, meatloaf, jambalaya, smothered pork chops and fried catfish with rotating sides. hinabor.com
Matherne’s Market
Multiple locations
Shrimp etouffee, crawfish alfredo, baked or fried catfish and chicken along with side dishes like fried okra, Brussels sprouts and crawfish cornbread give diners plenty to choose from. Specials vary by location. mathernes.com
Ideal Market
Multiple locations
Rouses Market
Multiple locations
Lunch (and dinner) daily specials include Cajun classics on Mondays, Asian faves on Tuesdays, barbecue on Saturdays and lots of other tasty options. The supermarkets also include salad bars. rouses.com
Calvin’s Bocage Market
7675 Jefferson Highway
Weekday lunch specials include a fried pork chop with rice dressing on Tuesdays and smothered round steak with mashed potatoes on Thursdays. All specials come with two sides, a roll and dessert. calvinsbocage.com
Choose from Latin American favorites at Ideal Market’s sprawling hot food line, including carne asada, barbacoa and pollo asado. Grab accompaniments like yellow rice, yucca, plantains and whole and refried beans. Don’t forget tres leches cake for dessert. idealmarket.com Wednesday and Friday are for seafood on BetR's hot food line.
—Laura Furr Mericas, 225 managing editor
BLDG 5 LEMONaDE
“BLDG 5 runs laps around neighborhood lemonade stands with its artisan beverages offered in sweet, tart and a little bit savory flavors like Ginger Blueberry Rosemary, Mango Strawberry Basil, Peach Pineapple Mint and Pear Basil Jalapeño. They’re great for sipping right out of the bottle or using for mixers in cocktails and mocktails. I usually snag these locally made lemonades from Calvin’s Bocage Market, Maxwell’s Market, Bin Q Liquor or Rouses Market.”
—Olivia Deffes, 225 digital staff writer
io tn m e t o t h e w i n e a isle
How to stock the bar with approachable sippers from Calandro’s Supermarket
“We taste everything,” Calandro says. “It has to have a good taste and the right price point for us to sell it.”
Wine, beer and liquor represent a third or more of the Mid City store’s sales, Calandro says.
Along with domestic and international wines, both Calandro’s locations are known for their deep bench of bourbons. The stores also stock plenty of local beer, hard seltzers, spirits, boutique mixers and a growing selection of nonalcoholic products. calandros.com
“We sell a lot of French wine,” says Charles Calandro, who took over the Mid City grocery store’s alcohol sales in 1977 and has since helped it become one of the retailer’s defining features. Later, he helped set up the wine department at Calandro’s Perkins Road location, which is also robust.
Dark or light?
DARK
laissez Versez Craft Reserve Louisiana straight bourbon whiskey, $40 Award-winning double-barrel bourbon from Baton Rouge distillery. Look for notes of oak and vanilla and a long smooth finish.
AT CALANDRO’S SUPERMARKET on Government Street, shoppers can’t help but pass the wine, beer and spirits department on their way in. It’s a sizable part of the store that’s grown steadily since the late ’70s.
Wines from all over the world sit on tightly packed shelves, while stacked crates holding particularly popular selections form ad hoc aisles of their own. There’s always something new to discover.
In many other states around the country, grocery stores can’t sell beer, wine and spirits. But in Louisiana, supermarkets are a reliable source for any and all adult bevies.
Are you craving?
WINE SPIRIT BEER
Agile Brewing Classic Version, $14 per six-pack
The English brown ale made right here in Baton Rouge is great
Red or white?
Booze or no booze?
BOOZE RED LIGHT
Distillerie AcAdian
SoLou handcrafted gin, $40 Spirit Department Manager Kevin Champagne’s pick for a smooth, clean-tasting gin is made by a New Iberia-based distillery.
Juggernaut
Hillside cabernet sauvignon, $20 A fantastic value, this meaty 2022 cab pairs great with steak, pork and gourmet burgers.
lyre’s spirit Co.
Dry London spirit (nonalcoholic), $32 NA spirits are rising in popularity and availability. Champagne recommends Lyre’s for a high-quality cocktail or spirit substitute.
NOBOOZE
WHITE
Closerie d’orleA ns
Vin Mousseux blanc brut, $10
Currently the best-selling SKU in the store, this French sparkling white offers “good juice and a good buy,” Calandro says.
red New candy art brand
Truecolors
How local color analysts are helping their clients find shades that make them shine
BY
OLIVIA DEFFES // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
“When you are wearing the right colors, it can really make a big impact on how you show up.”
Emily Pourciau, a local color analyst and stylist for House of Colour
EMILY POURCIAU IS glowing, and she says a lot of that has to do with her outfit and makeup.
Today, she dons a dark teal, velvet headband with an olive green top and an orange lip. These days, most of her closet consists of autumn-hued pieces. It’s hard to believe she once only gravitated toward bright, cooltoned colors. Then she realized how those shades clashed with her features.
Now, Pourciau is helping Capital Region residents understand what colors make their skin, eyes and hair pop. She is an analyst and stylist for House of Colour, a London-based company with franchises all over the globe. Pourciau conducts sessions inside her Central home, armed with House of Colour tools and resources like dyed drapes, a color wheel, makeup and more.
Seasonal color analysis has been around since the ’80s, but sessions like Pourciau’s are enjoying a major moment on social media.
Instagram reels and TikToks depict bare-faced clients learning what shades complement them.
Makeup-free and with any dyed hair covered, Pourciau’s clients are seated in front of a natural light source. She pulls out her color wheel and places a set of rainbow bibs across the client’s chest. She helps declare spring, summer, autumn or winter as their ideal season. Next, they rank the best, or “wow,” colors revealing the subseason. The results can be surprising.
“I swore up and down that I was a summer,” Pourciau says. “You could not have convinced me
otherwise. Finally, I just decided to go and get (a color analysis) done, and it turned out I was an autumn. It was completely mind blowing to see. I was very attracted to the summer colors. I think that’s why I thought I was a summer.”
The session also includes a quick makeup consultation using House of Colour cosmetics. But dressing in the right hues allows for less makeup wear, Pourciau says.
Determining your color palette isn’t cheap. Prices vary around the country, with some costing
upward of $500. Pourciau believes her sessions, which start at $325, provide a one-time investment that will keep on giving long after the two-hour consultation ends.
“I think COVID changed a lot about how people get dressed and go out in the world,” Pourciau says. “People are wearing less makeup than they were 10 years ago. … I think that we’re very attracted to things that make our lives easier and help us show up as a better version of ourselves with less effort.”
Pourciau’s clients go home with a pocket-sized book containing a fan of their most favorable shades. This cheat sheet allows them to compare their colors with what’s in their closet and helps make shopping easier. Pourciau shares her phone number in case customers have followup questions.
This month, Pourciau will also introduce style analysis sessions through House of Colour. These involve a personality test and assessing what cuts and styles fit best on the client’s body. She hopes
by offering both styling and color analysis she can help her clients enhance their best features.
The uptick in curiosity around color analysis locally has also sparked different techniques for finding flattering shades.
Esther Clothing Brand owner Lydia Matthews recently began offering a different type of custom color analysis in tandem with the personal styling options she already provided. Matthews doesn’t use drapes but rather holds small fabric swatches up to her clients’ faces to see which ones emphasize their natural beauty.
She trained with the Stoltz Image Institute in Texas, and she says she’s always had an eye for what looks best on others.
“I’ve been doing this my whole life,” she says. “My friends would always call me and be like, ‘Hey, Lydia, can you come over? I have a date.’ And I would just put stuff together for them.”
Matthews doesn’t focus on a seasonal color wheel in her $350
sessions.
Instead, she builds out a palette based on her swatch tests. She also encourages clients to get creative when it comes to outfit picking. If a color isn’t on your fan but looks like it fits in with your colors, try it out. Regardless of the results, she tells
clients they can wear any color they like. But she recommends sticking with flattering hues for blouses, scarves and jewelry— anything worn in close proximity to your face.
Though they practice different techniques, both women share the same goal: to help others feel great through the power of color. Both agree that finding the right set of tints can help accentuate beauty while toning down unwanted insecurities about acne, wrinkles and red or dull skin.
“One of the biggest benefits is for you to show up as the best version of yourself,” Pourciau says. “When you are wearing the right colors, it can really make a big impact on how you show up.”
BOOK A COLOR ANALYSIS
• Emily Pourciau offers personal color analysis sessions in Central through the House of Colour brand. She also has options for children and groups. Find out more information about her offerings by visiting houseofcolour.com
• Lydia Matthews offers custom color analysis sessions at Brush & Bloom Studios on Government Street. Matthews' personal styling sessions are available virtually or in person. Book online at esther-clothing.com
Esther Clothing Brand owner and personal stylist Lydia Matthews, recently began offering her clients a different type of custom color analysis using small fabric swatches to see which ones emphasize their features.
Red, red wine
Trendy shades of Bordeaux line the racks of local boutiques
By Jennifer Tormo Alvarez
SYRAH, PORT, BOURDEAUX—no, this isn’t a wine menu. Fashion
Loeffler Randall woven crossbody in wine, $350 From Edit by LBP
L'Agence “Truman” mini skirt in dark Syrah, $395 From Lukka Boutique
Lizzie Fortunato “Georgia” belt in scarlet suede, $250 From Aria
Sweater dress in Bordeaux, $328 From August Boutique
Staud “Syd” boot in spice, $595 From Aria
L'Agence “Livvy” trouser in dark port, $475 From Lukka Boutique
Lizzie Fortunato “Torre” earrings in Burgundy, $335 From Aria
“Becky” jacket in Burgundy, $98 From Rodeo Boutique
Loeffler Randall studded ballet flat, $295 From Edit by LBP
Wandler “Oscar” trunk in Bordeaux, $1,150 From Aria
Sugar mamas
By Olivia Deffes // Photos by Avery White
MOVE OVER, LISA Frank!
An emerging brand is dreaming up colorful paper goods with local flair.
Sweet Lane is a collection of decorative notes, affirmation cards, creative kits and glimmering, waterproof stickers. There’s a sweet twist: Each piece was made from a hodgepodge of confectionaries.
Think: mosaic portraits of tigers wearing fondant sunglasses with licorice whiskers and striped fur made up of Sixlets, M&M’s and lots and lots of sprinkles.
The brand’s founders Jeanne McCollister McNeil and Lauren Stewart Haddox craft the candied canvases and cover them with epoxy resin. They photograph the
pieces, creating digital art for stationery cards, stickers and other products. (Editor’s note: McNeil is the daughter of Rolfe McCollister, an original co-founder of 225.)
“A lot of people think, ‘Oh, can you eat it? Do you eat the sticker?’” Haddox says. “No, (the candy) is our medium. That’s what we use to create our art.”
In the works since February, the brand will officially launch at the Atlanta Market in January 2025. Until then, local shoppers can get a sneak peek at The Keeping Room or Tangerine.
“We’ve never seen candy art. It’s unique. It’s different,” McNeil says. “We want to create a product line that really uplifts and encourages.”
McNeil and Haddox have developed different variations of their candy tigers.
Each design is named after people who are close to them, like nieces, sisters and Haddox’s
favorite Office Depot worker. The brand itself is named for McNeil’s 9-year-old daughter, Lane.
The logo is modeled off of the stripes of twisted lollipops.
The collection is intended for girls aged 8 to 18 and their moms.
Product highlights include creative kits containing purses, journals or tumblers, and stickers
HEALTHY SOLUTIONS
to customize them with, as well as packs of first-person affirmation cards and rhinestone tape that can be used to tack the cards onto mirrors.
McNeil and Haddox believe
items like these can boost the confidence of girls —and can be just as beneficial for their moms.
“‘I am enough.’ ‘I am blessed.’ ‘I will reach my dreams,’” Haddox reads out some of the affirmations.
“You really can change your thought process.”
Tangerine owner Susan Holliday, says Sweet Lane’s vibrant display has already drawn a lot of attention.
•
“We love the inspiring messages, creativity and promotion of individuality,” Holliday says. “Not to mention how special it is for us to team up with a local company.”
Stationery and stickers are just the start. As Sweet Lane gets more established, McNeil and Haddox hope to build a full lifestyle brand, adding more collections, including apparel, home decor, luxury bags and more. Memory box kits, which can be decorated and filled with stickers, affirmation cards and other keepsakes, will launch soon.
McNeil says she and Haddox have no shortage of inspiration. So much so that they have a fun way of talking each other down from ideas that seem too ambitious for the brand in its current infancy.
“‘Hot tamale’ is actually our code word for each other,” McNeil laughs. “If we start going with new ideas and someone says ‘Alright, hot tamale,’ it means shut it down, write it down—and we will come back to it.” Find it on Instagram at @sweetlanecollections
Sweet Lane founders Lauren Stewart Haddox and Jeanne McCollister McNeil
Swig
The ultimate guide to happy hour vibes, signature cocktails, bar bites, holiday specials and more in the Capital City. BOTTOMS UP!
Sponsored by:
THE COLONEL’S CLUB
SOMETHING SPECIAL
Handcrafted classic cocktails, extensive wine list, American favorites with a modern twist.
SIP ON THIS
Nestled under the Perkins Overpass, The Colonel’s Club is an elevated neighborhood restaurant and lounge featuring Southern favorites with a worldly twist. The atmosphere is swanky, not stuffy—nostalgic, yet modern with thoughtfully designed spaces that invite you to linger. Its roots go back to 1936, when entrepreneur and pilot Colonel Sheppard built a mechanical shop and airplane hangar in the area.
In The Colonel’s Lounge, enjoy hors d’oeuvres with handcrafted classic cocktails and fine wine. Relax by the fire and enjoy live piano music. Dress up or don’t—the only requirement is that you have a great time!
Hours are Tuesday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; ThursdaySaturday 11 a.m. – 12 a.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Every Day: 130+ Tequilas, 20+ Mezcals Atmosphere, ambiance, TVs in the bar areas
SIP ON THIS
Superior is consistently rated as one of Louisiana’s best Mexican restaurants since 1983 when its first establishment opened. The Highland Road location opened in 2017 and is a landmark serving fine quality foods in a festive Mexican atmosphere. It’s the place to be for happy hour, birthdays, office parties, Game Day, and any kind of celebration!
Skinny Margarita, Spicy Hatch Watermelon Margarita, Top Shelf on the Rocks and Mexican Lemon Drop
Kelsey Ragusa
TAKE A SWIG
Every Hour is a Happy Hour when Sip Social arrives!
SIP ON THIS
Every sip becomes unforgettable with Sip Social’s mobile bartending service! From the perfect setup to creating an inviting atmosphere, Sip Social takes care of every detail, allowing you and your guests to fully relax and enjoy the moment. Whether it’s an intimate gathering, a corporate event, or a special celebration, Sip Social brings a seamless blend of style, ease, and a dash of magic to any occasion. You provide the alcohol, and they handle the rest.
Owned by Connie and George Torres, alongside their son and daughter, Sip Social has recently expanded to a new location in the Capital City, complementing their established presence in New Orleans. Their signature Ape Piaggio, a charming 3-wheeled Italian vehicle, serves as the centerpiece of their service, delivering drinks with flair. This unique touch adds an extra layer of charm to any event. With a menu that offers both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, Sip Social specializes in combining timeless cocktails with modern twists, often inspired by the rich flavors of Louisiana.
View our cocktail menu
Connie Torres with the newest addition to Baton Rouge’s cocktail scene—Sip Social.
(From left) Paloma, IPA Beer, Margarita
Carefully
THE GREGORY
SIP ON THIS
The Gregory is housed in the Watermark Hotel downtown. Our drink specials include:
$5 domestic draft beers
$6 house wines
$10 martinis
$10 Bar Bites menu
$15 charcuterie board
$99 premium wine list
Issue Date: Nov 2024 Ad proof #1
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TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR
Seven days a week 2-7 p.m.
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Carefully
MAMI’S MEXICAN
TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR
Tuesday-Friday, 3-6 p.m.
SIP ON THI S
Enjoy freshly homemade Tex-Mex cuisine and pair your meal with one of our many flavored margaritas, including strawberry, mango, peach, watermelon, green apple or raspberry. On Mondays, enjoy 2 for 1 small margaritas and draft beer all day long.
(From left) Old Fashioned, Golden Goose and Strawberry Field
(From left) Berry Rita and Mojito Margarita
RUFFINO’S RESTAURANT
TAKE A SWIG AT HAPPY HOUR
Thursday, 4:30-6 p.m.
Friday, 2-6 p.m.
Half-priced specialty cocktails and half-priced wines by the glass.
SIP ON THIS
Ruffino’s Restaurant, with locations in Baton Rouge and Lafayette, offers a distinctive fine dining experience that is a true “Celebration of Life” in every aspect. From the moment you enter, you’re embraced by an atmosphere that combines elegance with a welcoming charm. It is designed to make every guest feel special, whether they are celebrating a milestone or simply enjoying a night out.
(From left) Sugarfield Smash and Affogato Cocktail
Bubble Bath
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TALLULAH CRAFTED FOOD & WINE BAR
TAKE A SWIG AT H A PPY HOUR
Football Mondays:
$5 Local Draft Beers During Game
Tuesday / 4pm-6pm:
1/2 Off Specialty Drinks
Wine Wednesday / 4pm-6pm:
$8 Featured Glass Pours & Select Bottle Specials
Thursday / 4pm-6pm: 1/2 Off Specialty Drinks
Friday / 11am-4pm:
$5 Martinis
SIP ON THIS
Tallulah is housed in the Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel. Check out our menu for delicious bar bites and try one of our many signature cocktails.
tallulahrestaurant.com
WEEKLY SPECIALS
WEDNESDAY:
OLD-FASHIONED Thursday:
(From left) 62 & Falling, Bourbon Peach Smash, Espresso Martini
(From left) Golden Gatsby, Violet Tide, Smoked Old-Fashioned
THE LOWDOWN
DISCOVER THE PARIS PARKER EXPERIENCE: WHERE SELF-LOVE MEETS EXCEPTIONAL CRAFT
At Paris Parker Salons, beauty is more than skin deep. It’s a reflection of self-love, confidence and growth. The salon’s mission focuses on creating an environment where every guest leaves not only looking their best but feeling empowered from within. The culture at Paris Parker is rooted in passion, connection and constant growth. The community of artists is dedicated to elevating their craft, honing their skills and delivering experiences that go beyond a simple haircut or color. Every guest is greeted with authenticity, care and the promise of an unforgettable experience. “We don’t just create styles; we create connections that inspire confidence,” says Garrison Neill, owner & executive director of Paris Parker Salons.
TRANSFORMATIVE BEAUTY THROUGH MASTERY
At Paris Parker, hairdressing is both an art and a science. The stylists are committed to perfecting their craft through continuous education and innovation, ensuring they stay at the forefront of the latest techniques, trends and technologies. Whether it’s precision cutting, advanced coloring or luxurious treatments, the team is equipped to create looks that inspire confidence and self-expression. What distinguishes Paris Parker is the belief that mastery goes hand in hand with personal connection. Stylists understand the importance of building trust and genuine relationships with clients, taking the time to listen and understand each individual’s vision. This commitment enables them to achieve looks that are uniquely tailored to each guest.
A COMMITMENT TO GROWTH
At Paris Parker, growth is key. Stylists participate in workshops, advanced training and mentorship to refine their skills and stay ahead in SPONSORED BY:
the evolving beauty world. This dedication ensures that every service is executed with creativity, precision and care. Guests know they are in the hands of professionals who are passionate about delivering not only top results but also experiences that nurture and care for them.
SPA AND AESTHETIC SERVICES: HOLISTIC BEAUTY AND WELL-BEING
At Paris Parker, true transformation encompasses body and spirit. Spa and aesthetic services are designed to help clients relax, renew and reconnect with themselves. From luxurious facials and massages to expert skincare consultations and waxing, the team is here to help every guest look and feel their best. Paris Parker uses Aveda’s plant-based products to deliver results that promote both beauty and well-being. Whether the focus is on hair, skin or body care, Paris Parker provides a complete experience that nourishes inner and outer beauty.
FAMILY-OWNED, COMMUNITY-FOCUSED
Paris Parker is part of the Neill family, which has been family-owned and operated since 1946. Neill is proud to distribute Aveda, a brand renowned for sustainability and plant-based beauty. Paris Parker also owns beauty schools from Seattle to New York, training the next generation of stylists with the same passion for artistry and client care.
JOIN US AT PARIS PARKER
Choosing Paris Parker means selecting a partner in the journey of self-love. It means choosing a team committed to helping clients grow, transform and shine. To learn more, visit parisparker.com.
“Through Paris Parker, I’ve had the privilege of participating in advanced cutting and styling workshops and leadership development programs, as well as doing hair at New York fashion week and being featured on the global stage at Aveda Congress. These opportunities have not only sharpened my skills but also reinforced our mission to inspire confidence in every guest.”
- Paul Eastin, hair design specialist with Paris Parker for 22 years, currently at Paris Parker Jefferson
— AMELIA EARHART
Caring for Generations
WHAT IS INFLUENZA?
Influenza is commonly known as the Flu. It is a seasonal upper respiratory infection caused by a virus, which is highly contagious. Most people associate the flu with cough, congestion, fever, sore throat, and body aches. Though these are common symptoms, the severity of influenza can vary based on the individual. People at highest risk for severe symptoms from the influenza virus include those who are pregnant, the elderly, immunocompromised individuals, and those with end stage kidney disease.
WHY IS I T I MP ORTA NT TO GE T THE VACCINE EACH YEAR?
The influenza vaccine, or “flu shot”, is our best defense against experiencing severe symptoms or spreading the virus. There are many strains of the influenza virus, and they are known to evolve or adapt from year to year. That is why organizations such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC) study the influenza virus year round. This gives them the ability to analyze each vaccine subtype, and make the necessary adjustments to the vaccine each year based on the strains and trends of influenza infections around the globe. We have been vaccinating against seasonal influenza for 50 years, and data over that time shows that being vaccinated yearly against influenza prevents illness severity, medical visits, hospitalizations, ICU stays, and even deaths related to the influenza virus. That is why it is crucial for everyone to receive an annual flu shot to prevent disease severity and transmission.
Lunch special
One of Baton Rouge’s oldest restaurants preserves local soul food traditions
BY MAGGIE HEYN
RICHARDSON // PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE
ROUND THE CORNER on Fairchild Street, and there it is: a crimson-and-white building that’s been open for decades. The sign over the door reads Ethel’s Snack Shack.
Here, “snack” is code for soul food. And these days, that means smothered chicken and cornbread dressing on Mondays, and smoked baby back ribs and seafood-stuffed potatoes on Fridays. Red beans and rice, an Ethel’s mainstay, are on the menu daily, while pig tails, chitterlings and other vestiges of the soul food canon—catnip for diehards—make occasional appearances.
A longtime haven for generations of Southern University students and faculty, Ethel’s was run for years by Lawrence Ned, a local minister, and his wife, Gloria. Since 2021, it’s been operated by the mother-son team of Paulette Thomas and Roderick Brown. The two have breathed new life into a restaurant whose future, at one point, was questionable.
The familiar building lies on a quiet block, located roughly between Southern’s fraternity and sorority houses on Harding Boulevard and its main campus off Scenic Highway. The look hasn’t changed much over the years, including the handpainted boast on the side of the building about its highly regarded red beans.
Chatting over the counter with the diminutive Thomas, I ask how she makes hers: a creamy, fullflavored version studded with thin discs of pork sausage. She demurs.
But when I ask pointedly if it involves “two sticks of margarine,” a well-trod formula revealed to me once by a Thibodaux soul food cook, she grins slyly and says “yes,” also copping to the addition of Rotel tomatoes.
That explains the extra kick.
Breathing new life
A healthy crowd forms during our visit, with one regular, a sheriff’s deputy, audibly blaming a growing waistline on the menu.
It’s an echo of the restaurant’s heyday when it served breakfast and lunch to legions of fans.
Ned took it over in the mid-’50s and ran it until he died in 1996, after which his wife assumed the reins, recalls current owner Carl Fontenot. Gloria Ned Coleman, known for her easy charm, beehive hairstyle and occasional lapses into French, ran things until her health said otherwise. She died in 2021, but she had stepped back from the restaurant a few years earlier, passing on ownership to Fontenot, her godson.
The years after Coleman’s decline were hard ones for Ethel’s, says Fontenot, who was living out of town then. Numerous operators tried running the place,
he says, some for just a few months at a time. Occasionally, the restaurant sat dormant. Then in August 2021, Thomas and Brown approached Fontenot about leasing it. Thomas was no stranger to cooking. A few months before, she had opened a successful cottage catering business out of her home, a personal project meant to fight retirement boredom. She had just closed the book on 40 years of working for a local dry cleaner and was keeping busy making to-go lunches and prepared meals. Cooking came naturally. It was how she fed her five, now-grown, children—four of them boys.
“You can’t go out to McDonald’s all the time.You got to cook,” she recalls. “I cooked every day and worked two jobs.”
Soul food, inherently thrifty and defined by coaxing bold flavor and large portions from cast-off ingredients, is what she prepared. And those same stretchable, well-seasoned foods are what she whips up at Ethel’s. She and Brown nicknamed it “The New Ethel’s” to signal its fresh start. Brown says after seeing his mom start her own catering business,
he figured running a restaurant would be an easy transition.
“She was already cooking and working hard,” Brown says. “So, I said, ‘Let’s do this.’”
Sales have been strong.
Customers pop in for weekday lunches served from the restaurant’s modest hot food line. Many neighborhood businesses turn to the eatery for regular catering orders.
“Miss Paulette’s doing a great job,” Fontenot says.
Trade secrets
Few soul food restaurants continue to make chitterlings. They’re laborious and unpopular among many younger diners. You won’t find them on Thomas’ regular menu, but she does serve them occasionally.
Those who still cook the dish subscribe to a universal truth.
“You got to clean them first,” Thomas says. “Even if it says they come cleaned.”
Pig intestines just require that extra level of confidence.
Once cleaned, Thomas cuts the chitterlings into small pieces with kitchen shears and braises them for about two hours with onions, celery, bell peppers and a Cajun spice blend. She confides another trade secret: adding cream of
The turkey leg lunch special from Ethel's with candied yams and collard greens
Mother-son duo Roderick Brown and Paulette Thomas have operated Ethel's Snack Shack since 2021. The eatery was named the local 2024 Soul Food Pioneer.
mushroom soup to the pot as a gravy starter.
Generously portioned plate lunches come with two sides at Ethel’s. Among them: candied yams, collard greens, and rice and gravy.
Cheese and spaghetti, the soul food equivalent of macaroni and cheese, is another option—and it’s one that reveals the culinary subgenre’s refusal to be swallowed up by broader definitions of Southern cooking. Elbow macaroni might be commonplace across Americana, but in soul food kitchens, it’s vermicelli that often finds itself bathed in cheese sauce.
Pasta strings are further reimagined in Thomas’ Mexican Spaghetti, a rotating specialty that features shredded chicken breasts and a sauce made with a reliable combo, Rotel tomatoes and melted Velveeta.
Pig tails, an economical cut from, yes, the animal’s backside, also hit the menu semi-regularly. Thomas sources them from local
markets like Scallan’s Choice Meats on Airline Highway and Kelly’s Meat Market on Plank Road. The bony cuts, generally about six inches in length, are crevassed with small hollows of meat, made tender by a low-and-slow braise with aromatic vegetables and lots of dry seasonings.
A local pioneer
Earlier this year, Ethel’s was named the 2024 Baton Rouge Soul Food Festival Soul Food Pioneer. The award helps highlight
TRY IT
Ethel’s Snack Shack is at 1553 Fairchild St. It's open on weekdays for lunch.
It was time to give the Scotlandville neighborhood a shoutout, he says.
“I thought it’d be great to revisit and come back to a location like this,” Turner tells me over lunch at Ethel’s.
practitioners of the centuries-old food form, rooted in the culinary practices of enslaved people.
Past Pioneer Award winners include Chicken Shack on North Acadian Thruway, D’s Soul Food Cafe in Plaquemine and Cafe Express in Mid City.
“A lot of times, these are places that don’t have advertising budgets,” says Soul Food Festival founder Henry Turner Jr. “We want to expose them to more Baton Rouge diners and give them a boost.”
The musician and recording artist says Ethel’s was a big part of his life throughout the ’70s and early ’80s, when he would meet friends who attended Southern for lunch. He says his favorite dish was smothered chicken, but adds that he worked his way through the menu.
“I tried it all, everything I could catch,” he says.
He forks up a Tuesday special of smothered pork chops with rice and gravy.
“It was the spot,” he says. “Everybody ate at Ethel’s.”
DINING IN
Leftovers makeover
BY TRACEY KOCH
BY AMY SHUTT
THERE IS NOTHING like the spread at my family’s Thanksgiving table. It’s always a bountiful feast of all sorts of casseroles, stuffings, vegetables, turkeys (cooked at least two ways), an array of other smoked meats and then, of course, the sweets.
As it goes for many families, the holiday meal takes weeks to plan, days to prepare and just a couple of hours to eat. And when it is all said and done, the next thing to figure out is what to do with all of the leftovers.
With a fridge full of extra food, I start thinking about other ways to give the last of my Thanksgiving leftovers a makeover. This month I’m sharing a couple of easy recipes that transform Thanksgiving staples into an entirely different but equally cozy fall supper. These simple dishes will help clear out your fridge— while serving up something a little different.
On the menu
• Late-autumn Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Vinaigrette
• 30-minute Turkey and Dumplings Recipes by Tracey Koch
PHOTOS
Late-autumn Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Cranberry Vinaigrette
Serves 6
FOR THE SALAD:
2 medium sweet potatoes
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon chili powder
2 bags prewashed mixed salad greens
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup toasted pecans
Crumbled goat cheese (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into chunks. Drop the sweet potato chunks into the boiling water and blanche for 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Drain the sweet potato chunks and pat them dry. Place the blanched sweet potato chunks onto the lined baking sheet, toss them in the olive oil and season with the salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder.
4. Place the sweet potatoes into the preheated oven. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes or until they are golden and crispy on the outside and tender inside. *Note: If using leftover sweet potatoes, remove them from the fridge, place them on a baking sheet, drizzle them with a little olive oil and place them in a 325-degree oven for 7 to 10 minutes or until warmed through.
5. Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven. Set them aside while you prepare the rest of the salad.
6. Place the mixed greens into a large salad bowl and add in the warm roasted sweet potatoes, pomegranate seeds and toasted pecans. Drizzle with several tablespoons of the dressing (recipe below), top with crumbled goat cheese and serve.
FOR THE DRESSING:
Yields 1½ cups
1/3 cup prepared cranberry relish
3 tablespoons spicy brown mustard
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh-grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
½ cup grapeseed or light flavored vegetable oil
1. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together until well blended.
2. Pour the dressing into a pintsized container with a tight-fitting lid, cover and place in the fridge until you are ready to toss the salad. This dressing may be made a day or two in advance. Save any remaining dressing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
30-minute Turkey and Dumplings
Serves 6
4 to 5 cups cooked roasted turkey or chicken
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped carrot
½ cup chopped celery
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup white gravy mix
2 cups milk
4 cups chicken broth
1½ cups potato gnocchi
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1. Cut the roasted turkey or chicken into bite-size chunks and set it aside.
2. In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion, carrot,
celery and dried thyme for 3 to 4 minutes or until everything is soft.
3. In a bowl, while the veggies are sauteing, mix the gravy mix, milk and chicken broth together until the mix is dissolved.
4. Pour the broth mixture into the sauteing veggies and stir to combine. Add in the chicken, gnocchi, salt and pepper, and keep stirring over medium heat until the sauce begins to thicken and coats the back of the spoon.
5. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook the turkey and dumplings for another 10 to 12 minutes or until the gnocchi are tender. Adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.
Couple: Allie Adler & Jaime Dasso
Photographer: Carolynn Seibert Photography
Planner: August Events
Local ballet star dances her way to elite European training
BY JEFF ROEDEL
The new Louisiana Lights Arts and music events
Anna Grace Boudreaux
“It’s really rare to have the success Anna Grace has had, and it’s unheard of out of Louisiana.”
Ivy Delk, Anna Grace Boudreaux’s longtime ballet instructor at Tari’s School of Dance
THERE’S DANCING. And then there is ballet. There are dancers. And then there is Anna Grace Boudreaux.
The only initial hint that the 14-year-old St. Joseph’s Academy freshman is a nationally recognized ballet dancer who trains 27 hours each week might be that she sits up a lot straighter in her chair than most teens would.
On a sweltering August day outside Rêve Coffee Lab, Anna Grace reflects on the five whirlwind weeks she has just spent training in three of the most elite dance schools in the world: Princess Grace Academy in Monaco, Ellison Ballet in New York City, and the Paris Opera Ballet School.
There she honed her craft, listened to seasoned masters, befriended young dancers from all over the world, and, yes, went sightseeing in Italy.
“They want you in Paris” has to be the coolest thing a teenager can be told while in carpool, but that’s exactly what Anna Grace heard when her mom picked her up and broke the news.
“I made you show me the email so I could believe it,” Anna Grace says to her mom, Shanna Boudreaux, owner of Rodéo Boutique. “They told us they don’t accept very many Americans, so I was shocked but so excited.”
Most dancers chosen through video auditions are those already training at these famous schools, or those who have other connections.
“It’s so hard to break into these elite European dance schools if you’re growing up here in America,” says Ivy Delk, Anna
Grace’s ballet instructor for the last seven years at Tari’s School of Dance. “It’s really rare to have the success Anna Grace has had, and it’s unheard of out of Louisiana.”
In dance classes since she was 2-and-a-half, Anna Grace was drawn to the structured fundamentals of ballet that require incredible mental and physical focus, and a lot of body awareness. She sees ballet as the most beautiful way to express herself.
“When I dance, when I learn choreography and get comfortable with it and embrace the character of the performance, it feels really cool,” she says. “You get to act a little bit and express yourself in a way that’s elegant and pretty.”
Despite the reputation Tari’s has for producing accomplished jazz, hip-hop and contemporary dancers, too, Anna Grace zeroed in on classical ballet from day one.
“I like the structure of ballet, how the fundamentals are so consistent,” Anna Grace says. “As I’ve gotten older, we add movement to that base structure, and you can build on ballet as you go, and it gets more fun.”
Anna Grace definitely is having fun now. Two years ago, the Houston Ballet chose her for its acclaimed performance of The Nutcracker, and she has finished in the Youth America Grand Prix’s Top 12 three years running. That’s out of more than 500 girls in the world’s largest international scholarship competition for preprofessional dancers.
“Anna Grace is consistent, above all else,” Delk says. “She focuses on details, and she does it until she gets it right. At the same time, she’s the friendliest girl you’ll ever meet. I always tell her, ‘You’ve never met a stranger,’ because at competitions she’s always
connecting with new people and other dancers in her really sweet way.”
As she settles into a new school and campus for ninth grade, Anna Grace is training for next year’s Youth American Grand Prix. Her mom reflects on her achievements and dedication with pride and awe.
“It made me so proud to see Anna Grace be so brave, put herself out there and take a chance,” Shanna says. “She walked into a room of kids who speak a different language, in a foreign country, and she embraced the opportunity to the fullest, made lifelong friends
and Paris and Monaco, I can see myself moving somewhere like that in the future. I feel like I came back more confident as a dancer and just more confident overall.”
Anna Grace at the Princess Grace Academy in Monaco this past summer
Classical Crows and the Escape from the and Latin instructors for elementary and middle school students.
“Holiday light shows are a huge draw for museums and gardens across the United States. They probably have been for the last 20 years.”
—Jeff Kuehny, director of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens
Deck the gardens
BY OLIVIA DEFFES
An inside look at how Baton Rouge’s newest holiday show, Louisiana Lights, came to be
BINGING HOLIDAY FLICKS. Singing corny carols. And trimming trees. There are plenty of deep-rooted traditions around the holidays. But one historic local attraction is hoping to cement itself as a new holiday must.
The multimillion dollar light show Louisiana Lights: Where the Holidays Shine, sponsored by Visit Baton Rouge, has taken years to develop. It finally shines this month, with custom light fixtures enhancing the outdoor space at Burden Museum & Gardens. Expect dangling, glowing birds, a 30-foot light-up tree and an illuminated tunnel. Some of the over 360,000 twinkling bulbs will sync up to music created for the show.
“Holiday light shows are a huge draw for museums and gardens across the United States,” says Jeff Kuehny, director of the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens. “They probably have been for the last 20 years.”
The team imagined what the 25 acres of land and 32 historical buildings at the museum’s Windrush Gardens might look like bedecked with the kind of dazzling, large-scale light show seen in cities like Dallas. Kuehny, Rural Life Museum Director Bill Stark and their staffs felt that the over-a-century-old property would be the ideal space for such a display. The land already has spanning paths that take about
an hour to an hour-and-a-half to walk through, which they felt was just the right pace for an extensive installment.
Plus, the show is bound to shine a much-needed light on the Windrush Gardens, Stark says.
“When people come out to the property as a whole, a lot of the time Windrush will be the last place that they really see and experience,” Stark says. “People who do know (Windrush) love it and think of it as a hidden gem in Baton Rouge.”
But after the new display debuts, the hope is that Windrush will be hidden no longer.
Because of Windrush’s historical significance and natural beauty,
it was important to create a light show that enhanced the space rather than distracted from it. A landscape architect, 3. Fromme Design, was commissioned to design a one-of-a-kind experience. Electricity was coordinated to be easily accessible around the gardens. Original fixtures and activation pieces were fabricated by The Memoir Agency, an Orlando company responsible for similar light shows around the country.
Stark says Louisiana Lights doesn’t follow a central theme or storyline but rather has different immersive areas or activations for attendees to walk through. At the end of the trail, there will be an exit experience with s’mores making, games and live music performances from LSU students.
There is so much more that went into the show than stringing lights, Keuhny says.
“This is not something that you can take and just plunk down in a local park,” Stark adds. “It relies on the tree growth, the structures
that we have and the features in the gardens. One of the things that I think we’re all pretty insistent on is that it reflects the gardens and amplifies them.”
And on Nov. 29, the switches will finally flip, illuminating years of planning and casting a multicolored spotlight across Windrush Gardens. Stark and Keuhny hope the show attracts locals looking for a new experience while also bringing new visitors to Baton Rouge. All they have to do is follow the glow coming off of Essen Lane.
SEE THE SHOW
Louisiana Lights runs Thursday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 29, with multiple sessions each night. Admission starts at $20. Parking from $10. Special events include Poinsettias & Prosecco on Dec. 4, A Rural Life Christmas on Dec. 8 and Barks & Bright on Dec. 12. Ticket prices vary. lsuagcenter.com
DECEMBER 14 • 1-5 PM
PERKINS ROAD COMMUNITY PARK
Do you have a kidpreneur age 5-17? Sign up today for a spot in our Mini Maker’s Market!
Featuring a magical holiday droneshow!light
Snow Zones + Photos with Santa + Mini Maker’s Market & local vendors + Live Music + Kids Activities + much more!
IS OUR FOCUS. Progress
ARTS
agenda
NOV. 7
Manship Theatre is going back to the ’70s with an Atlanta Rhythm Section concert. The Southern rock band will warm up the stage with its Georgia sound and serenade the crowd with past hits like “So Into You,” “Spooky” and “Imaginary Lover.” manshiptheatre.org
This month’s biggest art and music events
Compiled by Olivia Deffes
NOV. 8
It’s always a “good” time when Better Than Ezra returns home for a concert. The alternative rockers had a run of hits after forming at LSU back in the ’80s. Now, the band is going back to its roots with an outdoor show at L’Auberge Casino Hotel. lbatonrouge.com/ entertainment
NOV. 8-10 + 15-17
Witness utter chaos and conflict as the talented actors of Theatre Baton Rouge take on God of Carnage, a play written by Yasmina Reza. Follow along as two sets of parents sit down to discuss a park fight between their sons. What starts as a civilized discussion quickly spirals into a fiery argument about loaded topics. theatrebr.org
NOV. 10
Support Black artists at The Corner, a monthly showcase of local creative talent in music, film, dance and more. Created by Creatives For The Culture and the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge Incubation Project, the recurring event spotlights the “diverse and dynamic expressions of Black culture.” artsbr.org
NOV. 16
Calling all “365” party girls and guys! Chelsea’s Live is reliving the glory days of Brat summer with Brat Night. Don your neon green or Charli XCX-inspired attire, because DJ duo Interstellar will be bumping all the “club classics.” chelseaslive.com
NOV. 21
NOV. 18
Roll on over to the Raising Cane’s River Center Theatre for Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, part of the Broadway in Baton Rouge series. This musical takes the audience through the life of the iconic hit-maker. Sing along as you watch her rise to stardom. raisingcanesrivercenter.com/ broadway
Get ready for a night of cheek-aching belly-laughs at 225 Theatre Collective’s 225 Comedy Show benefiting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana. Hear stand-up stories and jokes from 10 Louisiana and Mississippi comedians as they perform onstage at Red Stick Social. 225theatrecollective.com
Where
Free Winter Reception
Thursday, December 5, 2024 • 6–8 PM
Join us in celebrating our winter exhibitions, In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870–1940, Works from the Bank of America Collection and Rembrandt, Goya, and Dürer: The Marvel of Old Masters. Enjoy gallery talks, music, and holiday shopping at the LSU Museum Store.
Compiled by Olivia Deffes
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BOOK IT
Head downtown to connect with fellow readers, authors and other bookworms for the Louisiana Book Festival. Browse booths to find new reads, attend literary panels, and meet poets and writers all in one place. louisianabookfestival.org
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TAILS AND ALES
What’s better than spending a day with fluffy pooches while sampling homebrews, locally made beers and other beverages? Not much. Find both cute pups and a variety of beer vendors lined up and down North Fourth Street in downtown Baton Rouge for the Cap City Beer Fest, benefiting Companion Animal Alliance. capcitybeerfest.org
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NOV. 2: NOLA Zydeco Fest, nolazydecofest.com
NOV. 16: Beignet Fest, beignetfest.com
NOV. 12-17: Beetlejuice, saengernola.com
STOCKPHOTO
Robert Spencer (American, 1879–1931), Afternoon Bathers (detail), c. 1920. Oil on linen. Bank of America Collection.
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SIPS AND BITES
Enjoy a weekend-long festival full of opportunities to sample dishes and fine wines at the St. Francisville Food & Wine Festival. Attend barbecues, dinner parties and grand tastings with culinary creations from chefs from across Louisiana and Mississippi. stfrancisvillefoodandwine.com
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WHITE LIGHTS, MID CITY
After the sun goes down, Mid City continues to glow on White Light Night, an annual art festival featuring local vendors, makers and artisans. Along with the dozens of pop-ups sprinkled along and off Government Street, businesses and restaurants in the area will be open with special hours and offerings. midcitymerchantsbr.org/events/wln
ALSO THIS MONTH
ALL MONTH
Hear skates scraping ice and sticks slamming pucks when the Baton Rouge Zydeco takes on its opponents this month at the Raising Cane’s River Center. Bundle up, grab your concession-stand goodies, and cheer on this local hockey team. brprohockey.com
NOV. 1 + 2
The ghastly ghouls at The 13th Gate get in a few more scares at Flashlight Fright Nights. To make things even spookier, the haunted house is shrouded in darkness, and attendees are only given small finger lights to illuminate their paths. Enter if you dare! 13thgate.com
NOV. 14
Eat, drink and dance the evening away at the Red Rooster Bash presented by the Friends of the LSU Rural Life Museum. This relaxed event at the historic venue promises craft cocktails, tasty cuisine and live music by ’60s tribute band The Remnants. lsu.edu/rurallife
NOV. 28
Get your blood pumping early on Thanksgiving morning for the Baton Rouge Turkey Trot. Take off in the 5K run/walk, or keep it mild with the 1-mile fun run. Cross the finish line with a worked-up appetite for that Turkey Day feast. turkeytrotbr.com
MORE EVENTS
Subscribe to our newsletter 225 Daily for our twice-weekly roundups of events. 225batonrouge. com/225daily
At Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute, we want to make sure you never miss a moment of what really counts. Our attention to your care is based on a decades-long foundation of experience and compassionate, comprehensive treatment for Louisiana families, including all the resources you need to fight cancer. That’s why we’re the region’s leading cancer treatment destination. That’s why it all counts here. Learn more at ololrmc.com/cancer.
Emily Cassidy, MD, Thoracic Surgery, and Jonathon Fletcher, PA, Thoracic Surgery
